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A woman and a man were arrested in Hialeah, Florida, after being accused of participating in a series of thefts at two jewelry stores in the city using a method that involved pretending to be interested customers, according to local media reports.
Jennifer Izquierdo, 43, and Steven Louis Romero, 39, face charges of grand theft, organized fraud, and conspiracy to defraud, according to arrest reports cited by CBS News.
According to the investigation, one of the robberies occurred on January 23 at the Estrella De Oro jewelry store, located at 8275 West 12th Avenue in Hialeah. Romero entered the establishment pretending to be interested in buying jewelry, and shortly after, Izquierdo arrived at the store.
According to police reports, the woman held the door while Romero ran out with several pieces of gold valued at over $13,000. The man fled the scene in a red Nissan Sentra, leaving his alleged accomplice inside the establishment to feign that she was not involved.
Authorities also link the couple to another robbery using the same method, which occurred on March 5 at Cuban Dan Jewelry, a jewelry store in Hialeah known for selling pieces in the popular "Cuban link" style. In that case, Romero again posed as a customer while Izquierdo helped him escape with jewelry valued at around $13,000, according to CBS News.
The surveillance cameras captured part of the events and allowed investigators to track the suspects. Additionally, a witness from the Cuban Dan jewelry store identified both individuals during a photo lineup.
The investigation also uncovered transactions at pawn shops. According to reports, on the same day as the robbery at Estrella De Oro, Romero pawned a gold bracelet, a Cuban necklace, and a pendant that were stolen for around $13,000. Subsequently, Izquierdo allegedly pawned two Cuban link chains for $10,700, related to the other case.
According to Local 10, the police were able to piece together the sequence of events using surveillance videos and testimonies, and both suspects ultimately confessed to their involvement after being apprehended during a traffic stop in Hialeah.
Records from the Miami-Dade correctional system indicate that both were admitted to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on March 9. Each faces multiple charges of grand theft and organized fraud, with bonds set at $5,000 for several of the charges, in addition to other pending accusations related to petty theft.
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