Man, woman suspected in Palm Desert mall jewelry store robbery charged
A man and woman suspected with two juveniles of robbing a jewelry store at the Palm Desert mall are set to be arraigned today on a felony charge of robbery.
Mason Tyler Barron, 21, of Hemet and Cleopatra Tredai Jones, 25, of Los Angeles are set to be arraigned on the charge Friday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
Deputies responded to the 72-800 block of Highway 111 at around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon, according to Sgt. Daniel Milbrandt of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
"Deputies arrived and determined a jewelry store at the location had been robbed by four suspects shattering display cases with sledgehammers and glass-breaking tools," Milbrandt wrote in a statement. "Witnesses saw the suspects enter a red sedan and deputies quickly located the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on Monterey Avenue."
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The suspects were apprehended after the sedan collided with another vehicle, according to Milbrandt. The vehicle stopped working due to the collision and the suspects allegedly fled in the area of Monterey Avenue and Dinah Shore Drive, where Jones, Barron and the two juveniles were arrested.
Barron was subsequently booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center, where he remains held without bail, according to inmate records. Jones was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, where she remains held on $250,000 bail.
The juveniles were booked into Juvenile Hall, according to Milbrandt.
In Riverside County, Barron has one prior conviction of grand theft over $950 while Jones has no prior felony convictions.
Investigators were working to determine if the suspects were involved in other robberies in Riverside and Orange counties, and anyone with relevant information was asked to call Investigator Roman Lugo of the Palm Desert sheriff's station at 760-836-1600.
