Global thieves arrested in $700k jewellery heist

A group of foreign nationals have been arrested and charged with robbing $700,000 of jewellery in two Auckland heists.

But two of those suspected of being involved in the robberies are still on the run.

Police said an investigation was launched after seven people took more than $100,000 in goods from the Parnell property of a Sydney-based jewellery manufacturer and salesman on May 2.

Two other international jewellery sellers were robbed of more than $600,000 of their property by five offenders outside Rydges Hotel in Federal St on May 17.

Auckland investigators today confirmed five people had been arrested and charged with aggravated robbery over the incidents.

Officers arrested two women at Auckland International Airport on May 19 while they trying to check in for a flight to Los Angeles.

Three more accused - two men and a woman - were arrested in Wellington last Thursday and appeared in the Lower Hutt District Court on Friday.

Three of those arrested were Colombians travelling on United States passports.

Nationalities of the other two are unconfirmed but they arrived in New Zealand in April using Mexican passports, police said.

All are set to appear in the Auckland District Court tomorrow.

Detective Sergeant Phil Cox said investigators were still searching for two men - also travelling on Mexican passports - who were last seen in Christchurch on May 27.

Juan Leal Casillas and Jose Roberto Jimenez Perez are possibly travelling in a grey Mitsubishi 380, registration number DDZ991, he said.

"We've alerted the hospitality industry and Customs but it seems the two men are laying low at this stage. We'd very much like to speak with them to fill in some gaps in our information."

- Herald Online