SAN JOSE, CA — Four men have been arrested in connection with a January strong-armed robbery at a San Jose mall that investigators say is linked to a separate armed jewelry heist weeks earlier, authorities said.
The robbery occurred Jan. 11 at a business in the 2800 block of Stevens Creek Boulevard, where police said four suspects used a sledgehammer to break into secured display cases and allegedly steal thousands of dollars' worth of high-end watches before fleeing.
Investigators later identified the suspects as Devin Hairston, 31, of Oakland; Charlie Jones, 23, of Oakland; Emilio Sanchez, 24, of Hayward; and Roman Camarena, 18, of Stockton.
Using automated license plate reader technology, officers tracked two vehicles believed to be involved in the crime, police said.
Both were later found unoccupied in San Jose and Fremont.
Detectives said Hairston and Camarena are also suspected in a Dec. 31 armed robbery at a business in the 3000 block of McKee Road.
In that case, authorities said the suspects used a sledgehammer to smash a jewelry case and stole several hundred thousand dollars' worth of merchandise.
Arrest warrants were issued for all four suspects, and search warrants executed at associated residences led to the recovery of possible evidence, police said.
Hairston was arrested Jan. 13 outside Bakersfield by a federal task force on an unrelated case and later booked into Santa Clara County jail. Sanchez was arrested March 18 in Hayward. Meanwhile, Jones was taken into custody April 14 in Oakland.
Camarena was arrested by San Leandro police on an unrelated charge and is awaiting extradition to Santa Clara County.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the cases to contact the San Jose Police Department at 4591@sanjoseca.gov and/or 4913@sanjoseca.gov or (408) 277 4166.
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