SAN RAMON — An Orange County man and woman were arrested this week as suspects in multiple recent jewel thefts in town and around the region, authorities said.
In a statement Tuesday, police said an automated license plate reader hit around 3:15 p.m. Monday alerted officers of a vehicle tied to a weekend theft.
In that incident, police said a female suspect called a 74-year-old woman over to her vehicle on Sunday before placing costume jewelry on her. When the woman refused the jewelry, the suspect removed a valuable jewelry item from the woman and left the costume jewelry behind.
Officers found and stopped the vehicle Monday at Crow Canyon Road and Reedland Circle, and spoke with a 24-year-old man and 21-year-old woman from Fullerton who were inside with their two-year-old child.
Soon after, officers arrested the man and woman on suspicion of multiple charges, including grand theft, conspiracy and theft from an elder or dependent adult. The child was released to a family member, police said.
After at least one local victim identified the pair in a theft, investigators began working to find possible ties to previous cases. The weekend theft was the 10th similar case since late November, with each involving a female suspect who approached seniors, often alone and always outside, before taking jewelry and fleeing in a waiting vehicle, police said.
San Ramon PD investigated three cases yesterday involving elderly residents targeted for jewelry.
In all cases, an Indian female engaged the victims in conversation while draping them in fake jewelry. She then removed it and took the victims’ real jewelry along with it. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/EDRlk0XUKO
— San Ramon Police (@SanRamonPolice) January 12, 2022
No information was immediately available on any connection to theft suspects sought in recent Union City incidents.
Anyone with information may e-mail San Ramon police Det. Mike Wickman at [email protected] or call the department’s non-emergency dispatch at 925-973-2779.
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.