Latest news with #YaorongWan
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Time of India
Heist with a sleight: Con man swipes $260K in diamonds; pleads guilty in Tiffany-Cartier theft case
After years of international crime, a 50-year-old Queens jewel thief has entered a guilty plea to stealing over $260,000 worth of diamond rings from Tiffany & Co. and Cartier, employing deception, sleight of hand, and fake jewelry. Yaorong Wan acknowledged stealing expensive goods from the upscale Fifth Avenue shops of the luxury merchants in March of last year during his appearance before the Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday. At Tiffany's flagship shop, Wan utilized distraction methods and a phony ring to switch out a $225,000 diamond ring. According to the New York Post, Wan visited the Tiffany store last year and asked about many pieces of jewelry, according to the prosecution. The DA claims that he left without buying anything after exchanging the real platinum-mounted ring for a cubic zirconia imitation. A little more than a week later, he hit Cartier once more while distracting workers and pocketing a $24,000 ring. Wan looked at two watches and two engagement rings at the Cartier store in Hudson Yards, but he pocketed one of the rings while the salesperson was preoccupied. According to authorities, Wan's methods—rapid, deft hand movements, deception, and the calculated use of imitation jewelry—are typical of the upscale thefts that brought him notorious fame throughout the world. Wan has a transcontinental criminal past. He has been connected to similar instances in New Jersey, California, Florida, and South Korea. Previously, Interpol wanted him in connection with a $330,000 diamond heist in South Korea. According to law enforcement officials, he committed robberies with the dexterity of a magician, targeting both smaller independent jewelers and international luxury names. Using a sleight-of-hand maneuver, Wan allegedly stole a Chopard watch worth over $17,000 from London Jewelers in the Manhasset neighborhood of Nassau County in April of last year. In 2018, Wan is also accused of stealing jewels valued at $332,000 in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. A fter a joint NYPD, Nassau County Police, and US Marshals investigation, Wan was taken into custody at his Flushing, Queens, residence in May of last year. Officers found other stolen items during the arrest, including the $17,000 Chopard watch that had been reported missing from the jewelry store on Long Island. Wan entered a guilty plea to second-degree grand larceny and was detained without bail because of pending warrants in other jurisdictions. He could spend three to nine years in New York State jail when he is sentenced on July 14, 2025. In a statement announcing the plea, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said, "This defendant stole hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of high-end jewelry using deceptive sleight-of-hand techniques." "We've stopped his worldwide theft operation because law enforcement agencies worked together."
NDTV
25-06-2025
- NDTV
Jewel Thief Steals $260,000 In Diamonds From New York's Tiffany, Cartier
A notorious international jewel thief from Queens has pleaded guilty to a high-stakes theft spree targeting luxury jewellery stores, including Tiffany & Co and Cartier, where he swiped over $260,000 in diamond rings using sleight of hand and counterfeit gems, according to The New York Post. Yaorong Wan, 50, admitted in Manhattan Supreme Court to executing a pair of elaborate thefts in March 2024. At Tiffany's flagship Fifth Avenue store, Wan swapped a $225,000 diamond ring with a nearly identical fake using distraction tactics and misdirection. Just days later, he hit Cartier in Hudson Yards, pocketing a $24,000 ring while examining other high-end pieces and diverting staff attention. Authorities said Wan's techniques - rapid, precise hand movements paired with fake jewellery - reflect a pattern of sophisticated thefts that made him internationally infamous. He had previously been sought by Interpol for a $330,000 diamond theft in South Korea and has been linked to similar crimes in California, Florida, New Jersey, and abroad, as per the news report. Wan's criminal exploits extended to Long Island in April 2024, where he allegedly stole a $17,000 Chopard watch from London Jewellers in Nassau County using the same sleight-of-hand method. Following a multi-agency investigation, Wan was arrested in May 2024 at his Flushing, Queens home, where stolen items - including the Chopard watch - were recovered. He is being held without bail due to warrants in multiple jurisdictions, The Post reported. He pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny and faces a sentence of three to nine years in state prison at his July 14, 2025 hearing. 'This defendant used deceptive sleight-of-hand techniques to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of high-end jewelry,' Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement announcing the plea. 'Thanks to the collaboration between law enforcement agencies, we've put an end to his global theft operation.'
New York Post
24-06-2025
- New York Post
International con man who used ‘sleight-of-hand' to swipe $260K in diamond rings from Tiffany, Cartier pleads guilty
A 50-year-old international jewel thief from Queens has pleaded guilty to using sleight-of-hand, misdirection and counterfeit jewelry to steal more than $260,000 worth of diamond rings from Tiffany & Co. and Cartier — ending a years-long global crime spree. Yaorong Wan, who appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday, admitted to lifting high-value items from the luxury retailers' swanky Fifth Avenue boutiques in March of last year. At Tiffany's flagship store, Wan used distraction techniques and a fake ring to swap out a $225,000 diamond ring. 5 Yaorong Wan, a 50-year-old reputed international jewelry thief, pleaded guilt in Manhattan Supreme Court this week to grand larceny. Steven Hirsch Prosecutors said Wan visited the Tiffany store last year and inquired about multiple pieces of jewelry. He allegedly swapped the genuine platinum-mounted ring with a cubic zirconia fake and walked out without making a purchase, according to the DA. Just over a week later, he struck again at Cartier, pocketing a $24,000 ring while diverting employees' attention. At the Cartier store in Hudson Yards, Wan examined two engagement rings and two watches, but managed to pocket one of the rings while the salesperson was distracted. Authorities said Wan's tactics — quick, skillful hand movements, misdirection and the strategic use of replica jewelry — are hallmarks of the high-end thefts that earned him international notoriety. 5 At Tiffany's flagship store, Wan used distraction techniques and a fake ring to swap out a $225,000 diamond piece. Steven Hirsch Wan's criminal history stretches across continents. He was previously wanted by Interpol in connection with a $330,000 diamond theft in South Korea and has been linked to similar cases in New Jersey, California, Florida and South Korea. 5 Wan had outstanding warrants for his arrest in several jurisdictions. Law enforcement officials said he targeted both global luxury brands and smaller independent jewelers, executing thefts with magician-like precision. In April of last year, Wan allegedly entered London Jewelers in the Manhasset section of Nassau County and used a sleight-of-hand trick to take a Chopard Watch valued at over $17,000. 5 Wan also stole an expensive watch from the London Jewelers store in Manhasset, Long Island last year. Matthew McDermott Wan is also alleged to have stolen $332,000 worth of jewelry in the South Korean capital of Seoul in 2018. Wan was arrested in May of last year at his home in Flushing, Queens, following a coordinated investigation by the NYPD, Nassau County Police, and US Marshals. During the arrest, officers recovered multiple stolen items, including the $17,000 Chopard watch reported missing from the Long Island jewelry store. 5 Last year, Wan stole a $24,000 ring while diverting employees' attention at a Cartier store in Manhattan. REUTERS Held without bail due to outstanding warrants in multiple jurisdictions, Wan pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the second degree. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2025, and faces between three and nine years in New York state prison. 'This defendant used deceptive sleight-of-hand techniques to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of high-end jewelry,' Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement announcing the plea. 'Thanks to the collaboration between law enforcement agencies, we've put an end to his global theft operation.'
South China Morning Post
23-06-2025
- South China Morning Post
Jewel thief stole US$260,000 in diamonds from New York's Tiffany, Cartier shops
A man wanted by Interpol pleaded guilty on Monday to stealing US$260,000 in diamonds from Tiffany & Co and Cartier last year through a series of 'sleight-of-hand' tricks. Advertisement Yaorong Wan, 50, admitted switching a diamond ring worth US$225,000 for a fake one and then walking out of Tiffany's flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York in March 2024. About a week later, he pocketed a US$24,000 ring at the Cartier shop in Hudson Yards, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's office. Wan, who was previously wanted for a US$330,000 diamond theft in South Korea and was the subject of an Interpol arrest warrant, faces as much nine years in prison when he is sentenced next month. As of last year he was also a prime suspect in thefts at jewellery stores in New Jersey, California and Florida, the District Attorney's office said. 'New York is a global fashion capital and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep 'mom-and-pop shops' and high-end retailers alike safe,' District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. Prosecutors said Wan went into the Tiffany shop last year and asked about several pieces of jewellery – including the stolen ring. He switched the real platinum-mounted ring for a cubic zirconia replica and left the shop without buying anything, Bragg said. Advertisement At the Cartier shop in Hudson Yards, Wan looked at two engagement rings and two watches, but was able to slip one ring into his pocket while the sales person was distracted.
Bloomberg
23-06-2025
- Bloomberg
Tiffany, Cartier Lost Diamond Rings to ‘Sleight-of-Hand' Con Man
A man wanted by Interpol pleaded guilty Monday to stealing $260,000 in diamonds from Tiffany & Co. and Cartier last year through a series of 'sleight-of-hand' tricks. Yaorong Wan, 50, admitted switching a diamond ring worth $225,000 for a fake one and then walking out of Tiffany's flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York in March 2024. About a week later, he pocketed a $24,000 ring at the Cartier store in Hudson Yards, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's office.
