Romanian Nationals Arrested In South OC Jewelry Switch Scam

IRVINE, CA — A man and a woman were arrested for conspiracy and grand theft after allegedly stealing a valuable gold necklace in a jewelry switch scam in Irvine, the Irvine Police Department reported.

According to authorities, officers received a report regarding a victim that had their $2,000 gold necklace taken from their neck while having a conversation with the suspects in Culverdale last week.

"In these cases, suspects engage victims in a conversation and then offer them a piece of jewelry as a 'thank-you' for their help or to 'honor' them," the Irvine Police Department said in a statement. "While the suspects place fake jewelry on the victim, they remove their valuable jewelry."

Police said the department's Real Time Crime Center located a possible suspect vehicle and license plate moments after the crime happened. IPD detectives found the car in Los Angeles County and spent days holding surveillance and follow-up to create a strong case.

On Saturday, the pair returned to Irvine and were soon after found and arrested. Police said numerous pieces of costume jewelry were found inside of their car.

The pair was identified as 29-year-old Dinu Adelina and 34-year-old Miclescu Cosmin, both Romanian nationals. They were arrested and booked at Orange County Jail for conspiracy and grand theft. Their bail was set at $500,000.

"Our new CIU detectives will address crime trends and significant criminal activity in our city," the department said in a statement. "The dynamic and highly skilled team will provide proactive and strategic responses to crime, emphasizing teamwork, collaboration and keeping criminals out of our city."

"We are showing the suspect's faces because we believe there are possibly other victims of their scheme," the department added.

Residents with information were asked to contact mmahmood@cityofirvine.org.