Organized crime involved in series of recent robberies in Redmond

Redmond police are warning residents of an organized criminal group targeting pedestrians, primarily elderly, in the area.

“Other agencies have assisted the Redmond Police Department in determining that this is a gang of thieves,” Jill Green, Public Information Officer for the Redmond Police Department, told MyNorthwest. “We've had five different crimes of this nature recently, and they had a similar modus operandi.”

According to Green, the thieves are targeting wealthier neighborhoods and are looking for expensive jewelry.

“Sometimes they offer to exchange jewelry, and if the recipient doesn't agree, they take it by force,” Green said.

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According to Green, older people are targeted because they are easy targets.

“We ask people to leave their expensive jewelry at home when they are out walking around the neighborhood,” Green said.

No arrests have been made yet, but police have increased patrols.

Police Chief Darrell Lowe advises against hiking alone.

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One incident was captured on surveillance video in the Woodbridge neighborhood. The footage shows a black SUV approaching a woman who was standing alone. After a brief conversation, someone from the backseat gets out of the vehicle and violently yanks the woman’s chain off before running away.

“We believe these individuals are part of a larger transnational organized crime group, possibly with Romanian ties,” Chief Lowe told KING 5, referring to similar crimes in other areas.

The victims are mainly elderly East Indian people.

“While there is a pattern among victims, the group does not specifically target the Asian community, but rather individuals who only walk around with expensive jewelry,” Lowe added.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here . Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and send him an email here.