Man accused of stealing $280K of jewelry in NYC caught on video stealing watch on LI: police
NEW YORK (WABC) -- An alleged international jewel thief wanted by Interpol and accused of stealing about $300,000 worth of jewelry from Tiffany and Cartier in Midtown was also charged with stealing a high-end watch from a Manhasset jewelry store.
Yaorong Wan, 49, allegedly stole a Chopard watch valued at more than $17,000 from London Jewelers on Northern Boulevard on April 19, after distracting a salesperson with a "sleight of hand" trick.
Surveillance video showed what happened inside Americana Manhasset Mall. He is seen pointing away a few times to distract the clerk before casually sliding a watch into his fist.
Wan was also charged with stealing nearly $300,000 of jewelry during thefts of Cartier and Tiffany stores.
On March 4, he is accused of stealing a diamond ring worth $255,000 from a Tiffany store at Rockefeller Center by switching it with a cubic zirconia replica.
Wan is also charged with stealing a diamond ring worth $25,000 from a Cartier store in the Hudson Yards complex on March 12.
He was arrested in Flushing, Queens, on Friday and first arraigned in Lower Manhattan on Saturday, before appearing in Nassau First District Court on Sunday.
Wan has a pending fugitive warrant for stealing from a Hermes store in New Jersey and is not bail eligible. He remains in custody, the Nassau District Attorney's Office said.
Wan also has a "Red Notice" from Interpol, and is wanted in South Korea for allegedly stealing $332,000 in jewelry in Sept 2018.
He is also a prime suspect in a series of thefts from Cartier stores in Beverly Hills, California and Miami.
Wan entered the United States illegally on Dec. 29, 2023 in San Diego and pleaded asylum.
RELATED | Thief gets away with $255K diamond Tiffany ring by swapping with cubic zirconia replica: police
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