In North Texas, five people were arrested on Tuesday this week after being suspected of robbing jewelry salespeople and murder. The five include four Colombian nationals Johnnattan Ramirez, 35, Catherine Contreras-Beltran, 28, Robert Riveros, 25, and Eslevy Vargas-Avila, 27 as well as a Honduran named Pedro Louis Alvarez, aged 32.
How the five committed the crimes
The five were first indicted in October 2016 on robbery and firearms charges. According to the indictment, Alvarez, Riveros, and Ramirez robbed a jewelry salesman on April 27, 2016 by using a gun and taking his rolling case and Nikon camera.
The indictment also alleged that Ramirez, Alvarez, Vargas-Avila, Riveros, and Contreras-Beltran robbed two traveling diamond and jewelry salespeople on June 2, 2016 and June 9, 2016. One victim lost his diamond case and other items to the robbers while the other was beaten to death. Alvarez was arrested in New York on June 27, 2016 by the FBI while the others were detained in Colombia by the Colombian Police between December 2016, and July 19 this year.
Statements from attorneys
Acting assistant attorney general Blanco said that all five members of the alleged crimes had been arrested thanks to efforts by prosecutors, the FBI, as well as local and international partners. He also thanked the Colombian law enforcers for their outstanding work.
U.S. Attorney John Parker said that the five were part of a large organized South American crime group that keeps targeting people who work in the jewelry industry. Parker also praised the work of the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force.
Recent jewelry store robberies
According to ABC News, on July 25 three armed people robbed a jewelry store in Houston, Texas by demanding cash and jewelry.
One of the robbers later showed up at a hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds while another died. The third suspect managed to escape.
Another robbery at a jewelry store occurred on July 25 in San Fernando, California. A victim sustained gunshot wounds to the leg after he tried to stop the robbers. Three robbers were involved in the robbery according to the police.
No one has been arrested so far.
According to the Detroit free press, three men were sentenced for violently robbing a jewelry store located in Dearborn on December 21, 2016. One of the men robbed the store while wearing a full robe and hijab. Police believe the three were responsible for violent crimes in Dearborn and surrounding communities.
