Jewelry thieves target Costco shoppers in Redwood City parking lot: police

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Redwood City police are searching for a pair of thieves wanted for two attacks in a heavily trafficked area.

Investigators said the two crimes took place as Costco shoppers were in the parking lot of the store, in the 2300 block of Middlefield Road. In each case, jewelry was stolen, in what police classify as theft by false pretense.

"It’s kind of rare for this area. It’s Redwood City. It doesn’t really happen a lot," said Costco employee Jose Rivas, Monday, outside the store.

He said he saw the aftermath of the second attack, Aug. 17.

Detectives said a suspect approached a man, sitting in his car in the parking lot.

"They gave him a hug and a kiss. And then they just snatched his chain, something like that. There’s a lot of cops that came through," said Rivas.

Investigators said in the first case, Aug. 11, another woman approached a man, slipped a costume jewelry necklace around his neck, and took off with his real necklace.

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Detectives said both suspects are women, that there are similar reports in nearby Palo Alto, and that these types of thieves usually work individually or in groups of two-to-three people.

This isn’t the first time these types of crimes have been reported.

"I think it’s probably the new generation, you know this generation is really bad. So I think that’s why they’re doing it," said Rivas. 

Police investigators said social media posts about seven crimes being committed, are incorrect. They don’t know if the two crimes are related, or if the two suspects are working together or independently. 

Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on Twitter, @JesseKTVU and on Instagram, @jessegontv