17 People From Michigan Charged In Nationwide String Of Smash-And-Grab Jewelry Heists

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) -- Seventeen people from Metro Detroit linked to a string of smash-and-grab robberies of jewelry stores across the U.S. have been charged.

The indictments for conspiracy to interfere with commerce charges were announced in Detroit by U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade and involved shops in New York, Maryland, North Carolina, Mississippi, Nebraska and Connecticut.

"The crimes that the Michigan defendants committed occurred in all other states -- Nebraska, New York, Maryland, North Carolina -- those are the people who we have charged," McQuade said.

The indictments were filed over the past month and follow investigations of about 40 such robberies last year. About 25 were committed in Michigan between 2012 and 2014.

"What they would do is they would go into a jewelry store during business hours and they would bring sledgehammers and hammers, smash the cases, grab jewelry -- usually Rolex watches, high-end, expensive jewelry -- from the display cases and run out into a waiting getaway car," McQuade said.

Four people attempted to rob a Paul Medawar jewelry store in Kent County on April 22, before one of them was shot. Five hours later, more than 100 Rolex watches were stolen at a Tapper's jewelry store in West Bloomfield Township, 140 miles away.

Investigators said at the time that the three armed robbers at the Tapper's store, northwest of Detroit, got help from getaway drivers and lookouts.

"They have absolutely brought down a reign of terror on local jewelry stores from Laredo, Texas all the way up to Connecticut, from border to border," John J. Kennedy, president of the Jewelers' Security Alliance, said.

McQuade said that the group had a reason to travel outside of Michigan to commit the crimes.

"The Michigan crew traveled to other states to commit their crimes, our speculation is it's a smart strategy to go commit a crime in Mississippi where nobody knows you," McQuade said.

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