Residents of a Chino Hills neighborhood in San Bernardino County have been put on alert following a string of jewelry thefts perpetrated by two individuals employing overly friendly behavior to distract their victims. According to KTLA, a man and woman approached a person at Calle San Marcos Park on Thursday morning under the pretense of a friendly handshake, raising suspicion of potential theft. Despite their subsequent arrest, the authorities encourage the public to stay cautious as these incidents have seen an uptick.
The suspects, identified as Dorian Stanescu, 31, and Laura Ghiocel, 34, both of Washington, were later connected to another theft that took place the same morning, where a victim in the 3200 block of Skyview Ridge had a necklace stolen directly from his neck. “A male and female contacted the reporting party in public. They wanted to shake the reporting party’s hand and appeared overly friendly. The reporting party believed the suspects intended to steal jewelry from his person,” a statement released by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, KTLA reported.
After being located by a deputy, Stanescu and Ghiocel were detained and found to be responsible for both incidents. They have been charged with grand theft from a person and were booked at the West Valley Detention Center, as per the SBSD – Chino Hills Police Department. The duo reportedly used diversion tactics such as seeking directions or assistance to distract and steal from their victims…