NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Fremont, CA, March 15, 2026: A dramatic smash-and-grab robbery targeting an Indian-American jewelry store in Northern California has drawn national attention after authorities released surveillance footage showing nearly two dozen masked suspects storming the store and stealing about $1.7 million worth of jewelry in just over a minute.
The robbery took place on June 18, 2025, at Kumar Jewelers on Mowry Avenue in Fremont, a family-owned business that has served the community for more than three decades.
According to federal prosecutors, more than two dozen masked individuals carried out what investigators described as a “takeover-style” robbery, smashing display cases with hammers and other tools while employees were inside the store.
Authorities say the heist began when a stolen vehicle rammed into the storefront, allowing the suspects to quickly force their way into the business. Once inside, the group shattered glass cases and grabbed gold and diamond jewelry before fleeing in multiple getaway vehicles.
The entire operation lasted roughly 70 seconds, but investigators say the robbers managed to take jewelry valued at approximately $1.7 million, stripping much of the store’s inventory.
During the robbery, one suspect allegedly brandished a firearm and forced the store’s security guard to the ground while other members of the group looted display cases.
No injuries were reported, but the incident left the store’s owners shaken.
“This is my parents’ life’s work,” a family member told local media, describing the emotional toll of seeing decades of effort destroyed in less than a minute.
Arrests and Federal Charges
Federal authorities later identified four suspects believed to be involved in the robbery:
- Afatupetaiki Faasisila, 20, of San Bruno
- Jose Herrada-Aragon, 20, of Concord
- Andres Palestino, 19, of Concord
- Tom Parker Donegan, 19, of Fairfield
A federal grand jury indicted the four on charges of robbery affecting interstate commerce, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
Investigators allege that several of the suspects stormed the store while Donegan drove one of the getaway vehicles. Police pursued the vehicle, which eventually crashed, leading to the arrest of the suspects after they attempted to flee on foot.
Authorities also recovered some stolen jewelry along the suspects’ escape route and inside the abandoned vehicle, which had been reported stolen.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Officials believe many additional suspects remain unidentified, and the investigation is ongoing.
