Metro Detroit store accused of selling jewelry stolen in smash-and-grabs around US
OAK PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - An Oak Park jewelry store is accused of selling dozens of pieces of jewelry stolen in smash-and-grabs in Metro Detroit and around the country.
Maro Jewelers on Greenfield is accused of acting as a "fence." Fences are the bridge between thieves and customers, as they buy stolen merchandise and sell it to unsuspecting buyers through a business that seems legitimate.
According to a court filing, thieves who operated out of the Detroit area would go to stores and smash the jewelry cases before fleeing with stolen merchandise that would then be sold by Maro.
More than 30 of these crimes happened between August 2019 and April 2021, according to federal authorities.
During a search of Maro in April 2021, authorities say they seized nearly $149,000 in stolen jewelry, including multiple items worth $10,000, as well as cash.
Evidence links jewelry at Maro to stores in numerous states, including Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, and stores in Indiana and Texas, among others.
Acording to the court filing, the store is also accused of serving as a fence for Brian Moore and Darrell Reed, two men who both have pleaded guilty to robbery.