Citrus Heights police arrest suspect in $109,000 worth of jewelry thefts

A 19-year-old man was arrested after Citrus Heights police said he robbed a jewelry store and was caught within minutes, while investigators also linked him to a separate burglary at the same store last month.

The Citrus Heights Police Department said on Monday that officers responded Sunday afternoon to a report of a man running from the mall with a bag and hammer following a robbery at a Kay Jewelers store.

Through surveillance cameras, investigators located the suspect running through a parking lot. Officers arrested him within four minutes.

Officers recovered more than $79,000 worth of jewelry that police said had just been stolen from the store. The investigation then led detectives to a separate July burglary at the same Kay Jewelers.

Citrus Heights police said the earlier incident happened around 5 a.m. on July 6, before the mall had opened. Police said the suspect broke the store's front door glass and display cases during a smash-and-grab burglary.

Approximately $30,000 worth of jewelry was stolen in that incident.

At the time, police believed there was one suspect, but the person had not been identified.

Following the latest arrest, detectives obtained search warrants for the suspect's home and a vehicle associated with him that was found in the mall parking lot.

Investigators said they recovered additional evidence connecting the suspect to the July burglary.

Police identified the suspect as 19-year-old Xenon Picou. He was arrested on suspicion of robbery and burglary.

Combined, the two incidents involved approximately $109,000 worth of jewelry.