Nationwide Jewelry Theft Ring Member That Hit Milford Mall Store Sentenced, Prosecutors Say

MILFORD, CT — A man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a nationwide jewelry theft ring, which included the robbery of a Milford mall store, according to a statement from prosecutors.

Giovanni Escobar Gonzalez, 41, a citizen of Colombia last residing in Kissimmee, Florida, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison.

From May 2023 to April 2024, Escobar Gonzalez and several other Colombian nationals burglarized jewelry stores and kiosks in malls, then transported the stolen property or the profits from it across state lines, prosecutors said.

Escobar Gonzalez and his associates surveilled the stores and kiosks before the robberies "to formulate game plans," prosecutors said.

Escobar Gonzalez more than once posed as a customer to examine the merchandise and assess security. During the burglaries, he was often one of the thieves who broke into stores and display cases while other co-conspirators served as lookouts, according to prosecutors.

The group burglarized a jewelry store at the Connecticut Post Mall in October 2023. They also hit jewelry establishments in New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Illinois, and Virginia.

Related: Police Respond To Thousands Of Calls At Milford's CT Post Mall

The total losses from these burglaries exceed $4.4 million, prosecutors said.

Members of the conspiracy also cased additional stores in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Delaware.

None of the stolen jewelry has been recovered by law enforcement.

Escobar Gonzalez pleaded guilty in April to interstate transportation of stolen property. He has been detained since May 19, 2024, when he was arrested in Florida on state charges related to another jewelry burglary.

Related: Smash-and-Grab Mayhem: Mall Jewelry Heist Suspect Busted After Bold Robbery: Milford PD