Man poses as soldier, steals diamond worth $100,000

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Bellevue police say a man posed as a soldier and then stole a diamond worth more than $100,000 from a Bellevue jewelry store.

The theft happened on Feb. 22, at Diamonds Inc. on Bellevue's Main Street.

According to police, the suspect identified as Ar'quae Kennedy, 26, walked into the jewelry shop wearing military fatigues. He told the store owner he was going to be deployed and wanted to buy an engagement ring.

"I think he did it on purpose, I think that was his plan to make us comfortable when he's coming in," said store owner Kianoush Fanaeian. The store has tight security, the front door is kept locked.

Fanaeian said the uniform made him more likely to trust the suspect.

“I thought it was very disrespectful to military folks who do wear that uniform for all the reasons they do,” Captain Patricelli, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, said

When the store owner was showing him the pricing of the diamond, he says Kennedy grabbed the 5.54 carat marquise loose diamond and ran from the store.

The store owner, Kianoush Fanaeian, told KIRO 7 he chased Kennedy down the street, and his son did, too.

Fanaeian was even able to grab hold of the suspect's legs and belt as he jumped into a getaway car. Fanaeian was dragged by the car and had to let go when the car picked up speed.

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“I fell down,” said Fainaeian, “All over blood was coming from my face, my nose, all over my body is bloody.” He still has scars on his hand an injured arm. His $450 magnifying lense was scratched, his jeweler glass were broken.

He was able to get the license plate off of the car. A customer saw what was happening and tried to chase the car, but lost it. It turned out it was a rental car, rented to someone else.

When they reviewed the surveillance video investigators could tell he was an imposter.

“He was standing at attention at the jewelry counter with his cover on, or as they call it in the military, his hat on, and that is not correct etiquette for when you walk into a place. You take your cover off,”  Bellevue Police Captain Lisa Patricelli, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, said.

The glass windows and jewelry cases at the store were cleaned the same day as the robbery. The police officer who responded to the call was able to lift his fingerprints, according to court documents.

They were processed by the Bellevue Police Department crime lab and matched to a suspect who has already been convicted of residential burglary and unlawful possession of a stolen firearm, according to court documents. Detectives say Kennedy never served in the military.

Bellevue's Special Enforcement Team tracked Kennedy to Southwest Washington.

Kennedy was arrested in Vancouver, Washington and booked into the King County Jail on Tuesday. He was charged with robbery in the second degree and will be arraigned on April 30th.

Fanaeian was happy about the arrest, now he hopes they can find his diamond, which is insured. Detectives are still working to recover it and searching for his accomplice.

“I thought it was very disrespectful to military folks who do wear that uniform for all the reasons they do,” said Captain Patricelli.

Cox Media Group