by Mark McDermott
More than three years after 11 masked men stormed Pasha Fine Jewelry in downtown Manhattan Beach, four suspects have been charged in connection with the June 24, 2022, smash-and-grab robbery that had remained unsolved despite an intensive investigation.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges earlier this year against Oscar Carranza, 23, of Los Angeles; Ziairre Veals, 26, of San Pedro; Kewon Maxwell, 23, of Los Angeles; and Dontae Jones, 27, of Los Angeles. The final outstanding suspect recently surrendered to authorities, according to a statement from the Manhattan Beach Police Department.
“These arrests demonstrate our commitment to bringing those who commit crimes in Manhattan Beach to justice,” said Mayor David Lesser. “I commend our dedicated Manhattan Beach Police Department investigators and law enforcement partners whose tireless efforts over the past three years made this outcome possible.”
The robbery occurred at 6:58 p.m. on a busy Friday evening on the 200 block of Manhattan Beach Boulevard. At least three of the men were armed, though no shots were fired. The suspects broke display cases throughout the store before fleeing across the street to three vehicles waiting in an adjacent alley.
Video of the fleeing thieves, captured by a witness, went viral on social media and sent shock waves through the community.
At the time, then-Mayor Steve Napolitano called the robbery “a crime against our entire community” and vowed the suspects would be found and arrested. Then-Interim Chief of Police Christian Eichenlaub said MBPD would “leave no stone unturned” in pursuing the case.
The unsolved robbery became a rallying point for public safety improvements. In February 2023, the City Council authorized MBPD to hire seven new officers and three civilian personnel, increasing sworn officers from 65 to 72. The expansion enabled the formation of a Crime Impact Group tasked with surveillance, following leads, identifying suspects, and composing warrants.
A month after the expansion was authorized, in March 2023, Pasha Fine Jewelry was hit again by armed robbers in a similar smash-and-grab. But this time, MBPD tracked down the criminals within hours and made seven arrests.
The investigation into the 2022 robbery continued for more than three years, with MBPD working closely with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to build the case.
“This development is the direct result of the lead investigator’s thorough investigative work and commitment to justice,” MBPD said in its statement, which did not name the investigator. “His efforts were instrumental in identifying the suspects and supporting charges brought forward by the District Attorney’s Office.” ER
