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Mall security, police nab jewelry thieves www.privateofficer.com
Mall security, police nab jewelry thieves http://www.privateofficer.com
Police say that two jewel thieves got away with it once so they tried their hand at it again but with not the same results the second time around.After James Johnson and Joshua Forsgren made off with one stolen diamond ring on Monday from a jewelry store inside a Mesa mall, police said they tried for another. But their second heist attempt was thwarted.
Johnson, 25, and Forsgren, 19, both of Gilbert, were arrested after three diamond rings were stolen from two jewelry stores in the Superstition Springs and Chandler Fashion Center malls within two hours, police records show.
According to police, Forsgren went to counters at the jewelry stores and asked to look at diamond rings. After the employees handed them over, he’d make a beeline for the doors and run..
The two first targeted Kaye Jewelers at Superstition Springs Center just before 7 p.m., police said. Forsgren moved in quickly, got the ring and sprinted out an exit at the mall’s east side.
Employees at Kaye’s quickly contacted police and phoned other area jewelry stores to tell them what happened.
So when Johnson and Forsgren strolled up to Whitehall Jewelers in Chandler about 90 minutes later, workers and police were already on alert.
Forsgren walked inside as he had done previously and asked to look at two rings, police said. He grabbed them and ran.
Except this time, a security officer saw him and began chasing him. There was also a Chandler officer already in the mall.
Forsgren first entered a bookstore and dashed around before running into a salon where he locked himself in a bathroom, police said.
After several minutes, the officer persuaded Forsgren to come out. Johnson was also picked up nearby, police said.
The officer found two rings on Forsgren and one on Johnson. Together, the three rings were valued at more than $50,000, records show.
The two were arrested on suspicion of multiple thefts and could face other charges.
According to police, Forsgren doesn’t have a criminal record in Arizona.But court records show that Johnson has several prior arrests for trespassing, weapons violations, assault and theft. He is also on probation.
Police also said that Forsgren has a slight mental disability, and Johnson was using him to commit the thefts, police said.
Both are being held at the county detention center waiting court dates.
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