The Brief
- Bellevue police arrested an organized crime group for using “blessing” scams to steal jewelry from victims across King County.
- Detectives recovered a stolen necklace belonging to a 71-year-old man that held a sentimental ring once owned by his brother, a Tuskegee Airman.
- Three suspects face felony theft charges and were linked to similar robberies in the region, including an incident where $80,000 in cash was seized.
BELLEVUE, Wash. – A Romanian organized crime group accused of targeting people across King County with a “blessing” scam is facing felony charges, after Bellevue police say detectives working in the Special Enforcement Team caught them in the act and recovered stolen jewelry, including a sentimental necklace belonging to a 71-year-old man.
Investigators say the suspects approached strangers in parking lots from Bothell to Renton to Tukwila, offering to bless them before attempting to remove necklaces, rings and bracelets.
Surveillance video obtained through a public disclosure request shows a suspect roaming her hands over an intended victim’s body as she searched for jewelry under the guise of blessing him.
The backstory:…