TROY, Mich. (WXYZ) — Four men were charged in connection to two armed robberies targeting jewelry at malls this month in Auburn Hills and Troy.
The first incident happened Aug. 11 around 4:30 p.m. at the MJ Diamonds store inside Great Lakes Crossing Outlets.
Police in Auburn Hills said they responded to MJ Diamonds after receiving a 911 call about two males wearing surgical masks smashing glass display cases with hammers and stealing jewelry. According to police, three employees were pepper-sprayed.
The suspects took off on foot toward the freeway.
When officers responded, they could not find the suspects. They helped the three employees and started investigating. Initially, investigators discovered that a black Kia Soul was the possible suspect vehicle. The owner of that vehicle was identified as Michael Aguilar-Mondaca.
After investigating further, police learned that the suspects were also at the mall two days earlier.
The case was turned over to the FBI’s Oakland County Gang and Violent Crimes Task Force due to the violent nature of the crime.
The second robbery happened Aug. 24 around 5:40 p.m. as the task force unit was conducting surveillance near the Oakland Mall to find the suspect vehicle from the first robbery.
While conducting surveillance, police saw three suspects wearing masks go into the Macy’s store at the Oakland Mall.
The black Kia Soul they arrived in left the parking lot and went onto northbound I-75. The car’s hazard lights were turned on and it was parked on the shoulder directly across from Macy’s.
The three suspects inside went directly to the jewelry counter and pepper-sprayed employees before breaking the display case glass with hammers, police said.
They then stole jewelry, left the store, ran across the parking lot, jumped the fence to the freeway and got in the suspect vehicle.
The FBI and the Troy Police Department moved in on the suspects and stopped the vehicle. The four suspects were arrested without further incident.
Stolen jewelry, cash and other evidence was recovered, linking the suspects to the robbery at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets.
On Saturday, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office authorized charges for the suspects.
Aguilar-Mondaca, Hernan Parraquez-Mondaca and Sandrino Rojas-Palma were all charged with five counts of armed robbery, five counts of felonious assault and two counts of malicious destruction of property.
Nicholas Caceres-Henriquez was charged with two counts of armed robbery, two counts of felonious assault and one counts of malicious destruction of property.
Authorities said each count of armed robbery is a felony punishable by up to life in prison.
The FBI got warrants for the suspects on Saturday and set up arraignment to happen the next day. A judge denied bonds for all of them.
A preliminary exam is scheduled for Sept. 11 at 9 a.m.
