Two men stole more than $200,000 worth of high-end jewelry from GOOD ART HLYWD, a shop in Los Angeles’ Pico-Union district, after posing as customers. The suspects remain at large.
According to surveillance video and store owner Josh Warner, the men approached the appointment-only business around 4:30 p.m. They flashed a large sum of cash and claimed to be seeking a gift for their father, convincing a security guard to grant them entry to browse.
During their interaction with a store associate, one of the two said he needed to retrieve a credit card from his car and fled with a high-end bracelet. Moments later, the second man snatched a ring and also ran from the store. The two stolen pieces collectively exceed $200,000 in value.
Warner, who has been in business since 1990, expressed shock at the “bait and switch” theft. He told KTLA that the specialized nature of his custom jewelry business, the jewelry targeted, and his store’s proximity to the downtown L.A. Jewelry District suggest the crime wasn’t a random hit.
Two L.A. Jewelers Plead Guilty to Hiding $127 Million in Cash From the IRS
An Irvine, CA, couple accused of failing to file IRS forms for more than $127 million in cash from their precious metal trading businesses in Los Angeles’ downtown jewelry district have pleaded guilty to criminal charges, according to a Dec. 19 report in the The Orange County Register.
Prosecutors said the pair — Alex Nguyen, 50, and Sam Nguyen, 52, — hid cash, used unreported cash at separate family businesses and casinos, failed to maintain an anti-money laundering program, and accepted large amounts of cash without asking buyers for identification.
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Five Teens Arrested for Violent Mall Jewelry Store Robbery (VIDEO)
Five teens are facing numerous charges after a violent jewelry store robbery at Georgian Mall in Barrie, Ontario. According to CTV news, the suspects, aged 14 to 17, used pepper spray, smashed display cases, and fled with stolen merchandise. They were rounded up by police within two hours of the crime.
