What to Know
- Police have identified all three suspects wanted in connection to the $4 million armed robbery in the Diamond District
- Two of the three men, who pretended to be customers before tying up employees, were identified thanks to facial recognition technology
- Police do not have anyone in custody in connection to the case
Police have identified all three suspects wanted in connection to the $4 million armed robbery in the Diamond District over the weekend, law enforcement sources tell News 4.
Two of the three men, who pretended to be customers at Avianne & Co. Jewelers on 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, were identified thanks to facial recognition technology employed by the NYPD, the sources said.
Officers for the NYPD's Major Case Squad have been investigating the brazen daytime heist, where the suspects brandished guns and tied up employees, since it happened on August 25.
Surveillance footage released by NYPD showed the robbery suspects holding handguns as workers lay face down on the floor. They then grabbed jewelry and threw it into a duffle bag before running off on foot, the NYPD said.
Eli Ariah, who spoke to one of the victims moments after the robbery, said he was told about $4 million worth of jewelry was taken.
"We came in to open up the store these guys came in pretending like their customers and they pulled out guns and robbed us. They told the boss to open the safe," Ariah told News 4.
Local
They tied up four men working at the store with duct tape and zip ties just after noon, according to the preliminary investigation. None of the victims were hurt, police said.
Police said one of the suspects wore a black and red bandana on his head. A second was heavy seat and work a Kangol hat. The third wore a blue suit and a cowboy hat or fedora.
Police do not have anyone in custody in connection to the case.
