US Police Arrest 16 Linked To Robberies At Indian And Asian Jewellery Stores

Sixteen members of a central crime ring are in custody for committing many violent armed robberies in the past year. These robberies targeted Indian and other Asian jewelry stores in four East Coast states in the U.S. Federal law enforcement arrested eight suspects on Wednesday.?

In contrast, the other eight had been arrested earlier.?

This information comes from a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia.?

The indictment states that from January 7, 2022, to January 27, 2023, the defendants planned in Washington, D.C., to commit robberies in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Florida.?

They specifically targeted jewelry stores owned by Asian Americans. The chargesheet mentioned nine "South Asian" jewelry stores that the gang targeted.?

Among them, it was possible to identify at least four owned by individuals of Indian descent. To commit and escape from the robberies, the gang wore dark clothing, masks, and gloves.?

They were armed with a gun and used stolen vehicles, as stated in the press release issued on Wednesday.?

"The defendants targeted small businesses along the East Coast, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry from hardworking families," said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg.?

"For the past 20 months, the FBI worked with our partners across state lines to connect the defendants to these heists. Today's indictment is a testament to our partnerships' strength and commitment to eradicating violent crime," Sundberg said.?

FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy said that the suspects took part in take-over-style armed robberies meant to terrify and overwhelm store owners and employees.?

"We allege these suspects took part in take-over style armed robberies meant to terrify and overwhelm store owners and employees," Dennehy said.

"Many victim businesses are family owned and operated and have lost large inventory. The subjects' alleged violent and reckless actions are astounding; they gave no thought to the people who could have been seriously injured or even killed," he said.?

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U.S. Attorney Graves said that with an increasing number of robbery schemes that cross state lines, "collaborative operations like this one are critical to holding accountable those who threaten the safety of our communities."?

The press release said that search warrants were also executed, resulting in the seizure of multiple guns and approximately USD 300,000 from a safe in one of the residences.?

The arrested individuals are facing 19 charges, including conspiracy to commit a Hobbs Act robbery, which involves interfering with interstate commerce.Under the law, the maximum penalty for Hobbs Act robbery is 20 years in prison.

If a firearm is used to make the crime more serious, there's a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, with the potential for a life sentence.A federal judge will decide the final verdict based on sentencing guidelines and other relevant factors.

(With PTI inputs)

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