ST. CHARLES, Mo. – St. Charles police recently arrested four people with suspected ties to a $1 million jewelry heist in Florida.
Police arrested George Paun, 31, Stela Sava, 26, Terca Tarnovan, 31, and Vasile Lacatus, 27, at a St. Charles home in connection with the case.
All four suspects are considered Romanian nationals and part of an organized criminal network, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. They were arrested after St. Charles police followed up on a tip from Florida authorities.
A retired New York detective assisting with the case informed Walton County authorities that the four arrested are part of a Romanian criminal network with more than 1,400 members in the United States and warrants in at least six states.
According to an investigation report from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, three of the four reportedly entered a 30A store on April 11, stealing several pieces of jewelry with a retail value of more than $1 million. The three left in a black SUV.
One Walton County investigator recognized the suspects from another theft case he worked last December, eventually leading to four people of interest. On Monday, a cell phone belonging to Wasile led investigators to St. Charles.
“The St. Charles Police Department received information yesterday that a group of individuals traveling throughout the United States stealing jewelry may be located in our city. Our Detectives and Officers quickly acted on this information, leading to the arrest of several individuals,” said the department via Facebook on the case.
All four were arrested and charged with grand theft over $20,000. Sava, Tarnovan, Lacatus also had warrants for grand theft over $100,000, per the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
“I believe that through our efforts, we were able to prevent a large amount of jewelry from being stolen in the St. Charles City area as well as the St. Louis Metropolitan area,” said Lt. Tom Wilkison for the St. Charles Police Department.
He credited determined police work that led investigators to the 1400 block of N. Third Street. Police set up surveillance cameras in the area and eventually took the suspects into custody without any injuries.
“They (police) did a great job,” said Maureen Rogers-Bouxsein, a resident who lives on that block. “They didn’t disturb anybody, and they got these guys.”
“Our officers are professional; they’re dedicated; they’re vigilant,” Wilkison said. “We don’t stop until we get the people in custody.”
Some residents living on the block said they were not surprised to learn the suspects were staying in a short-term rental on the block.
“They’re a great hiding place,” Rogers-Bouxsein said.
St. Charles police arrested a total of six individuals. In addition to the four wanted in Florida, a suspect wanted in Kansas and a suspect wanted in Texas were also taken into custody.
