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Jared jewelry store robbery suspects charged in federal court

Six suspects in an armed robbery at the Jared Galleria of Jewelry store at the University Park Mall on Wednesday were charged in federal court on Friday, April 17, according to a news release from the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office.

The following six people were charged with interference with commerce by threats or violence:

  • Dayron Cortez Broaden, 25
  • Charles Hall, 27
  • Ronald D. McMullen, 25
  • Marty Joseph Lowman, 23
  • Dmil Janaire Lamar Polley, 21
  • Brivan Franklin, 23

Broaden, Hall, McMullen, Lowman and Polley are suspected of stealing more than $249,000 worth of jewelry from the store, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in federal court by a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent.

Franklin waived her Miranda rights and told police she was promised $2,000 to be a getaway driver for the five men, according to the affidavit. She said the men told her they were involved in a credit card scheme. She told police that she realized the men intended to rob a jewelry store after receiving text messages from Hall and seeing the men purchase hammers from a hardware store the day of the robbery.

The suspects are facing federal charges instead of state charges because Jared is a national jewelry store that buys and sells items across several states, according to the affidavit.

THE ROBBERY

Broaden, Hall, McMullen, Lowman and Polley parked a van near the front of the Jared store at 4:05 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, according to the affidavit. The van was reported stolen.

The affidavit said two of the men held open the front doors of the store while the other three went inside. One of the men pulled out a cross peen hammer and smashed two glass display cases, according to the affidavit. The other two men grabbed jewelry, and the three men ran out of the store toward the van, followed by the two other men, the affidavit said.

A witness who was in the parking lot called 911 to inform police of the robbery and followed the van as it drove out of the mall parking lot and to the Best Western Hotel at 445 W. University Drive, Mishawaka, according to the affidavit. There, the five suspects separated into two different vehicles, one of which was driven by Franklin, according to the affidavit.

Police arrived at the hotel and stopped the two vehicles, arresting the five men and Franklin.

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