A Florida man accused of grabbing more than $22,000 worth of gold jewelry from a mall kiosk did manage to get out of the building with his haul.
Putting considerably more distance between himself and the jewelry proved more complicated.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office released surveillance footage showing the theft and another encounter at a pawn shop as deputies announced the arrest of 25-year-old Dezmone Johnson.
The sheriff’s office said Johnson was identified as the man who posed as a customer at a Treasure Coast Mall kiosk before grabbing gold jewelry and running. Deputies said he was later located in Broward County with help from the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.
A Closer Look
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The mall surveillance footage begins with a man standing at the jewelry kiosk and examining merchandise being shown to him across the counter.
After spending some time at the kiosk, he reaches across, grabs the jewelry, and runs.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said the stolen gold was worth more than $22,000.
WPBF reported that the theft occurred July 20 at Royal Jewelers, a kiosk inside Treasure Coast Mall in Jensen Beach.
Lt. Chris Morales told the station that Johnson initially approached the kiosk as a customer, spoke with the clerk, walked away, and then returned. Morales said the clerk eventually brought out a tray containing roughly seven or eight necklaces before Johnson allegedly grabbed it and ran.
According to WPBF, the individual necklaces were valued between $850 and $4,500, with the total loss exceeding $22,000.
Leaving A Trail
Getting out of the mall was one thing. According to Morales, cameras outside provided detectives with something considerably more useful.
“We were able to get the tag from that vehicle, making it pretty easy for us,” Morales told WPBF.
Morales said the vehicle was associated with an address in Lauderhill, more than an hour south of Jensen Beach in Broward County.
Detectives then checked a pawn shop near that address.
According to Morales, the shop owner told them Johnson had recently been there trying to pawn necklaces.
“Again, making it pretty easy for our detectives,” Morales told the station.
The sheriff’s office also released surveillance footage from a pawn shop. In that recording, a man identified by deputies as Johnson can be seen at the counter with jewelry.
That second camera appearance did not improve the situation.
Found In Broward
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said its Criminal Investigations detectives worked with the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force to locate Johnson in Broward County.
Deputies said Johnson was arrested and faces a charge of robbery by sudden snatching.
WPBF reported that Johnson also faces a grand theft charge and that he was later released on bond pending trial.
The station’s interview with Morales offered a particularly concise assessment of the investigation. Twice while describing the evidence that led detectives south, he characterized the trail Johnson allegedly left behind as making their work “pretty easy.”