Michigan man accused of robbing jewelry store, pawning stolen necklace same day
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is pursuing federal charges against a suspect in a jewelry store robbery in Westland, Michigan, who then later attempted to pawn some of the jewelry.
The circumstances of the case were detailed in a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan by a special agent from the FBI Detroit Violent Crime Task Force. The FBI is seeking robbery and possession of a firearm charges against John Talerico in the case, according to the complaint.
The robbery happened on April 15. The Westland Police Department was called about 2:30 p.m. that day to a jewelry store on Warren Road in Westland on a report of an armed robbery.
The suspect was described as a man about 50 to 60 years old, wearing a blue shirt, red hat, black coat, glasses and carrying a purple bag. Security video showed the man entering the store multiple times that day.
At one point, the man was asking employees questions about lab-created diamonds and indicated he was interested in purchasing two rings.
He then briefly left the store, re-entered, and then pulled out a handgun, pointing it at one of the store employees. He ordered that employee to place 10 rings and three necklaces into a bag, making a threat of physical harm if an alarm was triggered.
The suspect then led the clerk and a second clerk to a back room, demanding money. He was given $200 from a cash register.
"The suspect then pepper-sprayed the victims, shut them in the back room and fled the location," the FBI report said.
Westland police checked security video from nearby stores and noticed a black sedan in the parking lot of the store that morning. Talerico, who is believed to be the robbery suspect, was seen on security video walking into the Westland Mall entrance that morning. Police have also tracked the license plate on the vehicle suspected to be involved to a resident of Westland.
Later in the day, according to the criminal complaint, Talerico pawned a gold necklace at a pawn shop in Detroit that the jewelry store employees confirmed came from their store.
