LAPD arrests alleged serial burglars who hit jewelry stores in 5 states

Five members of a burglary crew believed to be responsible for breaking into mall jewelry stores across five states were captured in Southern California, officials said.

Los Angeles Police Department detectives have been investigating the case for four months and were able to help Montebello police arrest some of the burglars in the act, officials said.

The crew’s method of operation was to hit shopping malls during off hours and burglarize predetermined jewelry businesses, police said.

Montebello police on Tuesday surrounded the Montebello Town Center and arrested three of the alleged crew members. As a result of those arrests, LAPD detectives then served several search warrants and arrested two additional suspects and additional items of evidence, according to investigators.

All five suspects are in the custody of the LAPD on suspicion of burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary.

-- Richard Winton

Comments

[211guy]

Excellent re-cap of incident but grossly understated by police, these common street gang thugs are usually controlled by Columbian and Russian crime cartels, see FBI, Interpol, Jewelry Security Alliance websites, the cartels "order" exactly the items they want and the local thugs do the dirty work in trade for military weapons and drugs. The losses reported by Jewelry stores and salesmen are in the 100s of millions per year but many are unreported due to 'bad publicity'(sounds like Banks).
Prior to 9-11-02 the crime cartels themselves, made up of ex-military and police, committed the crimes and were on a plane hours after the hits but new restrictions force them to use street gangs as middlemen.
This issue addressed numerous times in past postings of 'www.bank211s-mike.blogspot.com 8-10-08/8-6-08 and prior.
Or just Google "Columbian Jewel Thieves".
Excellent work by LAPD Majors