NJ Jeweler Charged with Fencing Stolen Goods

Frank Lashvili allegedly sold jewelry stolen in a rash of rooftop burglaries across the New York metro area.

Brecken Branstrator brecken.branstrator@nationaljeweler.com

Frank Lashvili was arrested earlier this month for allegedly fencing jewelry stolen during rooftop burglaries in the New York metro area.

Hackensack, N.J.--Police have arrested a New Jersey jeweler who allegedly was fencing stolen goods.

According to a press release from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, police arrested 56-year-old Frank Lashvili of River Vale, New Jersey on April 5. It’s not clear at this time where Lashvili works as a jeweler.

The release states that on Oct. 22, 2017, suspects cut a hole in the roof of Le Cristal Jewelry in Englewood, New Jersey and stole about $275,000 in jewelry.

An investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Englewood Police Department found it was committed by a burglary crew allegedly including Kevin Lyde, 55, of Brooklyn, New York, and other suspects still at large. The investigation also implicated Lyde and the suspects in several other rooftop jewelry store burglaries throughout the New York metro area.

The press release states that the burglars would then fence the stolen jewelry through Lashvili. He has been charged with two counts of fencing and two counts of receiving stolen property.

The New Rochelle Police Department arrested Kevin Lyde, left, and Kevin Young for allegedly stealing $1 million in jewelry from a local retailer.

In addition, the New Rochelle Police Department announced it has arrested Lyde and one other man—Kevin Young, 55, also of Brooklyn—in connection with the Feb. 2 burglary of a local jewelry store.

The police department confirmed via press release that after executing search warrants at various locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan following the burglary of New Rochelle Coin, Stamp and Jewelers, they arrested Lyde and Young on April 5.

The two men, along with a suspect who hasn’t yet been located, allegedly broke into the store by cutting a hole in the roof and dropping into the back before stealing more than $1 million in goods.

Lyde and Young have been charged with first-degree grand larceny and third-degree burglary.

New Rochelle police said both men have been booked and are being held pending arraignment. The investigation remains open as they search for the third suspect.

The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office said additional charges are expected to be filed in both New Jersey and New York in the coming days against Lyde, Young, Lashvili and the other suspects still at large.

According to the Jewelers Security Alliance’s 2017 Annual Crime Report, there were 18 rooftop burglaries from nine states in 2017, compared with 16 rooftop burglaries the

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year before. The JSA said most of these burglaries resulted in large losses.

Alarm systems were compromised in a number of cases. In other situations when alarm signals were successfully sent, police left the scene while the burglars possibly were still inside the stores, on the roof or nearby because they were unable to spot any obvious signs of a break-in.

In most of the recent incidents, the suspects took merchandise that had been left in showcases overnight.

Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.