Welcome to Arrest Stories. A thirty-three-year-old Romanian man's alleged cross-country jewelry theft operation came crashing down when his ten-year-old son was spotted wearing a forty-thousand-dollar stolen Rolex that was too big for his wrist. Here's what may have happened.
On Monday, Martin County deputies arrested Marcu Rostas along Martin Downs Boulevard, just one day after he allegedly robbed a jewelry store in Stuart. What officers discovered during the arrest painted a picture of an elaborate criminal enterprise that spanned multiple states.
Authorities found over four hundred thousand dollars worth of stolen jewelry hidden inside one of his children's stuffed animals. The recovered items included high-end watches, a forty-thousand-dollar diamond ring, gold chains, gold coins, and thirty thousand dollars in cash.
The arrest came after Rostas allegedly stole a thirty-five-thousand-dollar Rolex watch from Yameron Jewelry at Waterside Shops in Naples, followed by the theft of a fifteen-thousand-dollar necklace in Martin County the day after the Collier County theft.
What made this case particularly striking was how the stolen merchandise was being displayed. Deputies noted that the ten-year-old boy was wearing the forty-thousand-dollar Rolex stolen from Collier County, while his young daughter wore a stolen high-end necklace. Even Rostas's wife was wearing expensive jewelry when arrested.
Officials revealed that Rostas is part of a larger network of traveling distraction thieves who move through the United States, targeting unsuspecting victims. One official explained, "While one member distracts the victim, another quietly steals jewelry, cash, or other valuables within seconds. They hit jewelry stores, retail facilities, and sometimes private homes."
A jewelry store employee described the suspicious encounter, saying, "I just had that gut-wrenching feeling that he got away with something. He was very handsy with the jewelry."
Authorities also discovered that Rostas possessed multiple fake identifications and was in the United States illegally from Romania.
Officials warned, "If someone tries to pull your attention away with unusual questions or attempts to divert you from your valuables, stop, take notice, and make it clear you are aware of what they are doing."
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.