Saturday, May 18, 2024
Overachiever.
A U.S. Marine was apprehended in Texas on Thursday following accusations of orchestrating two jewelry heists totaling over $500,000 in value. Marcelo Majeed Hernandez, 18, was identified as the suspect in the burglaries at David Yurman Jewelry on October 13, 2023, and at Helzberg Diamond on April 5, according to Harris County Constable Precinct 4.
During the first burglary, authorities discovered that a masked perpetrator had forcibly entered the premises, smashed display cases, and absconded with over 200 pieces of jewelry valued at over $380,000. The second incident resulted in the theft of jewelry worth over $170,000. Hernandez was implicated in both incidents after an exhaustive investigation by law enforcement.
Hernandez was apprehended less than a week after the latest heist, with deputies discovering three handguns, $11,000 in cash, and $500,000 worth of jewelry, including diamonds, in his vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz GLA. The car, equipped with stolen license plates, was captured on surveillance footage during the burglaries, facilitating Hernandez’s identification and subsequent arrest.
Most of the stolen jewelry has been recovered, with authorities actively working to locate the remaining pieces. During the arrest, Hernandez’s military affiliation came to light as his dog tags fell out, revealing his status as a private first class reserve Marine with 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment in Houston. The U.S. Marine Corps confirmed awareness of the allegations against Hernandez and expressed disapproval of the alleged behavior.
Despite being charged with two counts of first-degree felony theft, Hernandez remains in custody with a bond set at $500,000. The USMC clarified that Hernandez was not in a “drilling status” at the time of the alleged crimes and emphasized its stance against such misconduct. Hernandez purportedly resides with his parents in the Cypress neighborhood near where the heists occurred, according to Constable Mark Herman.