U.S. Marine Arrested for $500,000 Jewelry Heists in Houston

On Thursday, authorities apprehended Marcelo Majeed Hernandez, an 18-year-old U.S. Marine, in Texas for allegedly stealing over $500,000 worth of jewelry in two separate heists in Houston. The first heist occurred at David Yurman Jewelry on October 13, 2023, where a masked suspect shattered the front door and stole over 200 pieces of jewelry valued at over $380,000. The second heist took place at Helzberg Diamond on April 5, resulting in the theft of jewelry worth over $170,000.

Hernandez was identified as a suspect after a thorough investigation. Deputies located him on Thursday and took him into custody. During his arrest, they discovered three handguns, $11,000 in cash, and $500,000 worth of jewelry, including diamonds, in his Mercedes-Benz GLA. The car had stolen license plates and was captured on surveillance video during the burglaries.

Most of the stolen jewelry has been recovered, and deputies are working to locate the remaining pieces. As Hernandez was taken into custody, his dog tags fell out, revealing his military status. He informed deputies that he had recently completed boot camp in the Marine Corps. Hernandez is believed to reside with his parents in the Cypress neighborhood near the heist locations. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree felony theft and is currently in custody with a bond set at $500,000.