Posted on: March 26, 2025 02:55 PM

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Two defendants arrested for sledgehammer smash and grab robbery of jewelry store

Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging KEVIN WILLIAMS and BYRON WILSON with the robbery of a jewelry store in Hartsdale, New York, on December 16, 2024, in which the defendants stole approximately $1.7 million of jewelry. WILLIAMS and WILSON were arrested this morning in New Jersey, and are expected to be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court.

On December 16, 2024, WILLIAMS, WILSON, and their co-conspirators drove a stolen vehicle with a stolen license plate from New Jersey to New York. At around 11:07 a.m., they arrived at a jewelry store in the Westchester Square shopping plaza in Hartsdale, New York, got out of the vehicle, and sledgehammered their way into the store. Once inside, and while innocent customers cowered in fear for their safety, the robbers smashed jewelry display cases and stole around $1.7 million in jewelry, diamonds, and luxury watches. Soon after, they returned to their vehicle with bags of stolen goods and drove back to New Jersey. Surveillance images of the robbery are below.

Once they arrived in New Jersey, WILLIAMS drove to the Diamond District in New York City, while WILSON returned to their shared residence. A few hours later, WILLIAMS, WILSON, and their co-conspirators took photographs of themselves holding large stacks of cash.

KEVIN WILLIAMS, 26, and BYRON WILSON, 24, both of Irvington, New Jersey, are charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and Hobbs Act robbery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

From DOJ