Three suspects were arrested in Long Beach, California, on Wednesday in connection to a jewelry store robbery that took place earlier this year, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department.
The suspects — Deshon Bell of Long Beach, Jimmy Lee Vernon of Gardena, and a third unidentified juvenile — were arrested as Beverly Hills police and FBI tactical teams executed simultaneous arrest warrants at three different locations across Long Beach.
Bell was arrested and booked for commercial burglary and conspiracy. Vernon was arrested by California Highway Patrol officers in Barstow and was charged with robbery. The unidentified juvenile was arrested and booked by the BHPD for commercial burglary.
The suspects are believed to have been involved in a robbery on South Beverly Drive that took place on March 22, when an undisclosed number of suspects wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts allegedly stole millions of dollars in jewelry and high-end watches.
Ladell Tharpe of Los Angeles, who was already in custody for an unrelated offense, was also charged with robbery in connection with the same incident.
The BHPD said a 9mm handgun and a high-capacity magazine were recovered from the location where Bell was arrested.
Police also located and collected evidence connecting the suspects to the robbery during the warrant, they said.
The March smash-and-grab robbery took place around 1:45 p.m. March 22, when the disguised suspects used sledgehammers and weapons to break the front window of the Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills.
Shop owner Peter Sedghi said the sound of the weapons smashing the glass sounded like gunshots, and he warned his employees to get to safety.
“I screamed to my employees for everyone to hit the floor. I hit the panic button and went under my table,” he previously told Fox News. “I waited for the gunshots to stop. I grabbed my gun and I ran out.”
“They seem like young kids,” he added at the time, describing the suspects. “Everyone’s really shook up.”
While no one was harmed during the robbery, Sedghi said he was robbed of somewhere between $3 million and $5 million of merchandise. The suspects fled in an SUV that was later identified and tracked down by law enforcement.
Beverly Hills police said the investigation remains ongoing and it will continue until all remaining suspects are arrested and booked, they said.
Anyone with information about the suspects or the crime is encouraged to call the Beverly Hills Police Department at 310-285-2125 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. Information can be texted to 888777 or on the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP.
