The FBI is urgently appealing for information about a married couple, Vasile Sava (53) and Onita Rostas (54), who are suspected of being involved in a series of sleight-of-hand distraction thefts at jewelry stores across the United States.
The couple is alleged to be part of a Romanian criminal gang that has targeted multiple jewelry businesses. Arrest warrants have been issued for both individuals, charging them with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.
Sava and Rostas are believed to be using various aliases and may be residing or operating in California, Texas, Florida, Maryland, and Virginia. The FBI has released wanted posters for both suspects, showing them wearing four different disguises.
The thefts typically follow a pattern, with the suspects entering jewelry stores in pairs or groups. While one or more of them distracts and separates the employees, another individual would secretly remove and conceal jewelry from the store’s display. The thieves then exit with the stolen items without being noticed. This method is referred to as a “sleight-of-hand distraction theft.”
In total, federal arrest warrants have been issued for Sava, Rostas, and five other individuals involved in the operation, some of whom have already been apprehended. The charges come from the U.S. District Court in Topeka, Kansas.
Prosecutors claim that the suspects are connected to an organized crime network, with ties to Roma clans originating from central Romania. These groups are accused of working together across the U.S. to carry out various criminal activities, with jewelry store thefts being a prominent method of operation.
The FBI is urging anyone with information on the couple’s whereabouts or activities to come forward to assist in their capture.
Related topics: