SJPD Arrests Suspects in Romanian Organized Crime String

 

 

On Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at approximately 12:00 PM, multiple residential search warrants were served in the cities of San José and Livermore in connection with approximately 25 separate criminal cases associated to Romanian Organized Crime. These cases spanned from July to October. The crimes included armed carjacking, armed robbery, strong arm robbery, and grand theft.

During the searches, evidence of the above crimes was located, as well as approximately $13,000 cash. Three vehicles were seized, and evidence possibly associated to the crimes of jewelry swap scams/robberies, Facebook Marketplace vehicle scams, credit card skimmers, and money laundering was located.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Grodin #4591 of the San José Police Department's Robbery Unit at (408) 277-4166 or e-mail 4591@sanjoseca.gov.

Submit crime tips and remain anonymous by using the P3TIPS mobile app, calling the tip line at (408) 947-STOP, or on www.siliconvalleycrimestoppers.org. If the information you submit leads to an arrest, you are eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers Program.

  

Romanian Organized Crime

The City of San José has seen a large increase in Romanian Organized Crime. The suspects primary target elderly members of the Asian and Indian community. 

The suspects typically speak English and Romanian. The women tend to dress in “traditional” Romanian clothing. It is commonly described as “Middle Eastern” or “Indian” style clothing.

The suspect(s) will approach an elderly victim in a vehicle, while they are outside or on the sidewalk. There is commonly a male driver and one or more female passengers in the vehicle. They will often call the victim over and ask for directions or pretend it is their birthday. When the victim is engaged in conversation with the suspect, the suspect will attempt to thank the victim by placing fake costume jewelry on the victim. They will often swap out real jewelry for the fake jewelry and forcibly take real jewelry. The suspects often drive new SUV rental vehicles.

SJPD has also linked this organization to armed carjackings, armed robberies, burglaries, home invasions, strong arm robbery/ chain snatch robberies, Facebook marketplace vehicle scams, grand theft of jewelry and purses, Organized Retail Theft, credit card/atm cash-out fraud, and other various types of thefts and scams where they attempt to sell people items or fake gold jewelry.

Romanian Organized Criminal suspects also have been known to contact victims at residences under the pretense of general contractor services, roofing, plumbing or paving, or other similar business related transactions. Once allowed into the house, they have used distractionary tactics to take valuable items or commit other crimes.