Thieves in terrible disguises steal $1.7 million worth of jewelry, but are caught in a posh hotel: police

A pair of accused jewelry thieves were caught lounging at a four-star Miami Beach hotel just days after police say they made off with $1.7 million in valuables from a Tennessee retailer.

Orlando Valdes Hernandez, 34, and Milleni Garcia, 38, were arrested Sunday at the Grand Beach Hotel and charged in the Oct. 23 robbery at Dubai Jewelry in Nashville, where cameras caught the pair wearing thin disguises, the Metropolitan The Nashville police reported this in a press release on Tuesday.

Police said they are still looking for a third man believed to have been involved in the robbery, who was photographed wearing a wool hat, sunglasses and dreadlocks, the department said.

“The investigation indicates that the two entered the store and began asking for rings,” the release said. “A few minutes later their unknown accomplice arrived. Moments later, Valdes Hernandez jumped over the counter, sprayed one of the employees with pepper spray and then forced that person into the back room where another employee was working.

“Valdes-Hernandez pulled a gun and demanded that both employees get to the ground and not move. While holding the victims at gunpoint, Garcia and the other man stole jewelry and gold from the display cases. Valdes-Hernandez is accused of getting himself extra jewelry at the store.”

Police said Nashville detectives conducted an “extensive social media investigation” to identify the two suspects and tracked them to the upscale waterfront hotel.

They notified Miami Beach police, who picked them up.

Police said some of the jewelry and a blonde wig, believed to be the same one Garcia is wearing in surveillance footage, were found in the hotel room.

Both are being held without bail in Miami pending extradition to Tennessee on charges of robbery, larceny, assault and aggravated kidnapping.

Police are asking anyone with information about the third suspect to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.