Masked gunmen from Dearborn jewelry store robbery linked to US spree; FBI reward

FOX 2 - An armed robbery of a jewelry store in Dearborn last summer is linked to a network of thieves wearing Halloween-style masks.

The same suspects apparently hit other cities in the Midwest and there’s a $15,000 reward from the FBI for a little help.

They could have wiped out a whole family working at Mariam Jewelry on Schaefer Road back in August. The cowardly robbers wore old man masks with gray wigs and even used female customers as shields.

"They come inside holding the gun with a bag. It was a blue bag with a hammer inside," said Ali Alasadi. the jewelry store owner.

They cleared a wall of gold jewels – as much as $250,000 worth.

FOX 2: "Were you scared when this was all happening?"

"Oh yeah, they hold a gun and also they shoot," said Alasadi.

We’re told they shot first. But Alasadi says his dad fired off a round into the ceiling, before the two dove in the back to safety as bullets whizzed by.

"He don't want to shoot them - he tried to scare them," Alasadi said.

We learned on Thursday that the suspects are tied to three other robberies, two in Chicago and one in St. Louis, according to Christopher J. Hess, FBI assistant special agent in charge.

"That’s not to say that it’s just two involved," Hess said. "We could have lookouts, we could have other people involved in helping facilitate the armed robberies."

One arrest has been made connected to the crew – 31-year-old Emad Elayyan was charged in connection to the two Chicagoland robberies.

Now the FBI is on board. They say the four robberies across the Midwest have a common thread.

"It seems to be their m.o. to wear, I’d say a Halloween-style mask and they do enter into the stores, weapons drawn and take full control and takeover the business," he said.

Investigators say the suspects appeared organized – casing the places, and they’re comfortable with the AR-style rifle you see in security footage.

No one has been hurt yet – and the feds want to keep it that way, offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

"Any time someone is willing to go into a public place weapons drawn in broad daylight, we have to consider them armed and dangerous," Hess said. "And they are dangerous to the public."

You can dial 1-800-CALL-FBI to submit tips or make them on the bureau's website HERE.