Four charged in Oakland Co. smash-and-grab jewelry thefts

Four men accused in two smash-and-grab jewelry thefts at Oakland County stores this month have been charged, officials said.

The four were arraigned Sunday in 52-1 District Court in Novi, officials with the Troy and Auburn Hills Police Departments announced in a statement.

Hernan Parraquez-Mondaca, Michael Aguilar-Mondaca and Sandrino Rojas-Palma were charged with five counts of armed robbery, five counts of felonious assault and two counts of malicious destruction of property.

A fourth man, Nicholas Caceres-Henriquez, was charged with two counts of armed robbery, two counts of felonious assault and one count of malicious destruction of property.

A magistrate ordered all four held without bond and scheduled their next court appearance for Sept. 11 in 52-4 District Court in Troy, police said.

If convicted, they each face life in prison for the armed robbery charges, up to four years in prison for each of the felonious assault charges and up to five years for each malicious destruction of property charge.

Authorities accuse the four men of stealing jewelry from the MJ Diamonds store at the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets on Baldwin Road in Auburn Hills and the Macy's store at Oakland Mall in Troy.

Auburn Hills police were called at about 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 11 to the MJ Diamonds store for a report of two men wearing surgical masks smashing display cases with hammers. The men grabbed jewelry from the cases and subdued store employees with pepper spray, officials said. The two then ran toward Interstate 75.

Officers arrived and were not able to locate the suspects. They rendered aid to three store employees who had been pepper-sprayed and began an investigation.

Detectives later learned the suspects may have gotten into a black Kia Soul that was seen fleeing the area. They were able to identify the Kia's owner as Michael Aguilar-Mondaca. Investigators said they also determined the suspects had been at the mall two days before the robbery.

Due to the violent nature of the robbery, Auburn Hills officials said they turned the case over to the FBI’s Oakland County Gang and Violent Crimes Task Force.

Last Thursday, members of the FBI task force were conducting surveillance near Oakland Mall in Troy to find the vehicle connected to the Auburn Hills jewelry store robbery, according to authorities.

At about 5:45 p.m., they saw three men wearing masks enter the Macy's store in the mall. They also saw the men get out of a black Kia Soul in the parking lot.

Officials said the Kia left the lot, got onto northbound I-75 and parked on the shoulder across from the store's entrance with its hazard lights on.

They said the three men who entered the store went to the jewelry counter, pepper-sprayed employees and smashed display counters with hammers. The men grabbed jewelry, left the store, ran across the parking lot, jumped the fence next to the freeway and got into the Kia parked on the shoulder.

However, FBI agents and Troy police officers had moved into position before the men fled the store, officials said. They stopped the vehicle and arrested four men inside it.

Authorities said they also recovered jewelry taken from the Macy's store, cash and evidence linking them to the MJ Diamonds theft.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez