January 12, 2024 - Riverside County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on Sunday, July 30, 2023, at 1:44 p.m., a smash-n-grab robbery occurred at a local jewelry store in the 1600 block of Perris Boulevard in the city of Perris. Seven masked suspects entered the location, pepper-sprayed the security guard, and broke the glass on several display cases, stealing $100,000 in jewelry.

The Perris Sheriff’s Station Robbery Burglary Suppression Team (RBST) assumed the investigation and discovered that over a month and a half, there had been numerous smash-n-grab robberies at these jewelry stores throughout Southern California.

On Tuesday, August 22, 2023, officers from the Corona Police Department responded to a smash-n-grab robbery in the city of Corona, where they located the suspect vehicle. After a brief pursuit, the Corona Police Department arrested two suspects. Perris Sheriff’s Station RBST collaborated with the Corona Police Department and obtained information linking one of their suspects, Joshua Lewis, a 24-year-old resident of Inglewood, to the Perris robbery. Perris Sheriff’s Station RBST also learned the same suspects committed another smash-n-grab robbery in the city of Thousand Oaks. Perris Sheriff’s Station RBST obtained a warrant for Lewis; however, Lewis had already posted bail and was released from custody, and Perris Sheriff’s Station RBST could not locate him.

On Thursday, January 11, 2024, about 9:00 A.M. (0900 hours), the Perris Sheriff’s Station RBST, along with the Perris Sheriff’s Station Special Enforcement Team, located Lewis in the 4000 block of Main Street in the city of Riverside. Lewis was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center for robbery and additional felony charges. This investigation is ongoing. No additional details are available.

Anyone with additional information should call Deputy Ramirez at Riverside County Sheriff’s Dispatch at (951) 776-1099 or the Perris Sheriff’s Station at (951) 210-1000.

Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Dave Tinker

File# PE232110048

Source & photo: Riverside County Sheriff’s Office