6 arrested for string of jewelry store burglaries in LA, Orange and Riverside counties

Six people were arrested in connection with a series of burglaries and smash-and-grab robberies across Southern California in September, according to Riverside County authorities. 

Deputies were called to the 72800 block of Highway 111 in Palm Desert on August 9 at around 2:15 p.m. after they were made aware of a robbery that happened at a jewelry store in the area, according to a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff's Office. 

Multiple callers reported that four masked people entered the store with hammers, which they used to destroy several display cases. Authorities said that more than $87,000 worth of merchandise was stolen before they fled. 

While investigating the incident, detectives found that the Palm Desert location was one of twelve different smash-and-grab-type incidents that had happened across Southern California, including in Orange, Riverside and Los Angeles counties, starting back in May. 

They were able to identify six suspects connected to the Aug. 9 incident and the rest of the robberies that happened, the release said. The suspects were identified as:

• Keyon Hampton, a 20-year-old resident of Lancaster
• Khalil Tanner, a 24-year-old resident of Rosamond
• Jamail Wilson, a 24-year-old resident of Los Angeles
• J'Quan Brasher, a 27-year-old resident of Lancaster
• Ryan Hawes, a 35-year-old resident of Los Angeles
• George Diamond, a 41-year-old resident of Lancaster

Deputies also identified both Wilson and Tanner as suspects involved in "numerous commercial burglaries within Los Angeles County," the release said. 

On Sept. 11, with help from the Los Angeles County Major Crimes Bureau and Organized Retail Crime Task Force and several other local law enforcement agencies, a joint operation was conducted in Lancaster, where both Tanner and Brasher were taken into custody, according to RSO's release. 

Days later, on Sept. 16, authorities took Hampton into custody in Lancaster as well. They arrested Jamal Wilson on Sept. 18 in Los Angeles and arrested Diamond in Lancaster on Sept. 23, the release said. 

"During the investigation, it was discovered that Ryan Hawes had been taken into federal custody on an unrelated matter," the release said. "All suspects were transported and booked into the John Benoit Detention Center on multiple charges, including robbery, vandalism during the commission of a felony, grand theft, burglary, committing a theft with prior convictions, and conspiracy."

Anyone who knows more regarding the 12 incidents was asked to contact deputies at (760) 836-1600 as their investigation continued.