Jewelry recovered, two suspects identified in robbery
McALLEN — Authorities have identified two suspects in connection with a jewelry store robbery at La Plaza Mall in McAllen on Monday and have recovered all of the stolen items.
Investigators got a break in the case after a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper stopped two men traveling along I-35 near Waco on Monday at approximately 8 p.m., hours after the robbery at Deutsch & Deutsch in McAllen, Police Chief Victor Rodriguez said.
The men were identified as Marcus Ramirez, 28, and Roland Sanchez, 34, who are from the San Antonio area, police records show.
The traffic stop was conducted because the vehicle in which the men were traveling was following too closely and in an improper lane, said DPS Regional Commander Joe Rodriguez.
During the traffic stop, the trooper noticed “criminal indicators” in the two men, such as nervousness and conflicting stories as to their destination, Rodriguez said.
The trooper noticed a travel bag in the vehicle. Inside the bag, he found what at the time seemed to be counterfeit watches, according to the police records.
Troopers said they found 91 Rolex and similar brand-name watches inside a duffle bag. Twenty of them already have been traced to the McAllen store, and investigators continue to track the others, police said.
When the trooper asked, the two men stated that the watches were counterfeit, and the trooper arrested them on the charge of possession of trademark counterfeit items. They were taken to the McLennan County Jail, where they eventually were released on bond.
“If it wasn’t for the skills and attentiveness of that trooper, I wouldn’t be able to stand here telling you that the jewelry items have been recovered,” Victor Rodriguez said.
Through interagency cooperation, DPS and McAllen police were able to confirm that the jewelry was not counterfeit. The FBI began running the serial numbers to confirm that the 91 items seized were those from the Deutsch & Deutsch, Rodriguez said. So far authorities have confirmed 20 stolen items from the store.
The investigation remains open and investigators hope to apprehend all of those responsible for the robbery. They hope to charge them not only with the robbery but also with possession of stolen merchandise in excess of $200,000. The charge is a first-degree felony punishable with a prison term of five to 99 years or life and a $10,000 fine
