Trio arrested in San Jose for alleged chain snatchings targeting elderly
By Tim Fang
Police in San Jose announced the arrests of three people suspected in a series of chain snatch robberies targeting elderly people and are searching for additional victims.
The arrests stemmed from an investigation that began on the afternoon of Aug. 20, when officers responded to a reported strong-arm robbery outside a business on the 5300 block of Almaden Expressway, near Highway 85 in South San Jose.
Police said an elderly woman was approached by an adult female suspect who forcibly took her ring and gold chain necklace before leaving the scene in a vehicle being driven by an adult male.
Officers and the department’s Real Time Intelligence Center used automated license plate readers to identify the vehicle which left the city.
The following day, the vehicle was found in the city of Concord, more than 50 miles away. Concord police told San Jose officers that the suspects attempted a strong-arm robbery outside of a business.
License plate readers alerted police that the vehicle had returned to San Jose to a business on the 2200 block of Senter Road, near Wool Creek Drive. Officers pulled over the vehicle and detained two men and one woman inside, who were later identified as 30-year-old Ruxandra Constantin, 36-year-old Calararu Constantin and 34-year-old Constantin Constantin.
While taking the suspects into custody, an elderly woman approached officers and reported that the suspects had robbed her of her gold chain necklace. Police said Ruxandra Constantin had a bag containing multiple pieces of gold jewelry.
The suspects were booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of robbery.
Detectives said they had also linked the suspects to a grand theft on Aug. 16 on the 5300 block of Almaden Expressway, in which a gold chain necklace was stolen from an elderly man.
In a statement, police said that chain snatch robberies have been on the rise throughout the Bay Area, with elderly people often being targeted.
“Often times, the suspects will use distraction techniques, such as selling jewelry, striking up a conversation, or swapping the jewelry out without the victim’s knowledge,” police said.
Detectives believe that there could be additional victims.
Anyone with additional information about the thefts or similar cases is asked to contact Detective Thandi of the department’s Robbery Unit by emailing 4415@sanjoseca.gov or by calling 408-277-4166.
