EditorsDec 17, 2025
2025 Jewelry Rewind: The Best Piece of the Week PicksAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco plays favorites with Piece of the Week, selecting a standout piece of jewelry from each month of 2025.
CrimeApr 10, 2019
Man Pleads Guilty in 2013 Traveling Salesman Robbery in PA
Extradited from Colombia to Pittsburgh, Oscar Javier Rodriguez Roa admitted to his role in the theft of $500,000 in gems and jewelry from a salesman’s car.
Pittsburgh—A Colombian man arrested in his home country and extradited to Pittsburgh has pleaded guilty to his role in the 2013 robbery of a traveling jewelry salesman.
According to a press release issued Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice, 35-year-old Oscar Javier Rodriguez Roa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery before U.S. Senior District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.
(The Hobbs Act prohibits actual or attempted robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce in any way.)
Rodriguez Roa, a national and citizen of Colombia who previously resided in Atlanta, admitted he was a member of a South American theft ring that targeted traveling jewelry salespersons in the United States and elsewhere.
According to the Justice Department, on or around May 5, 2013, Rodriguez Roa and several accomplices drove from Lawrenceville, Georgia—a suburb of Atlanta—to western Pennsylvania in a rented gray Nissan Maxima.
On May 8, Rodriguez Roa and three unnamed accomplices cornered a traveling jewelry salesman from New York City as he exited his car in the parking lot of a jewelry store in Wexford, just north of Pittsburgh.
Rodriguez Roa smashed the rear driver’s side window of the salesman’s car with a garden tool, the Justice Department said, reached into the car and stole a black shoulder bag containing about $500,000 worth of gemstones and jewelry.
An accomplice punctured the car’s rear driver’s side tire while a second accomplice kept watch over the salesman and the third drove the getaway car.
After the robbery, witnesses followed the Nissan Maxima to a church parking lot.
When the four realized they had been followed, the Justice Department said they drove to a nearby muffler shop where they abandoned the car and fled on foot to a nearby CVS.
Video surveillance from the pharmacy obtained by law enforcement shows Rodriguez Roa and one accomplice entering the store, with Rodriguez Roa talking on a cell phone while the latter was carrying the black shoulder bag with the gemstones and jewelry. The other two accomplices waited outside.
Records from U.S. Customs and Border Protection showed that Rodriguez Roa fled the United States a week after the robbery, on May 16, 2013, boarding a flight from Houston to Bogota, Colombia.
Forensics later connected him to the crime, matching his fingerprints with prints found on the front passenger door of the Nissan Maxima and on a video game console found in the trunk.
He is scheduled
for sentencing on Aug. 12. As part of his plea deal, he faces three to four years in prison, after which time he will be deported, according to local news.
More on Crime
The Latest
CollectionsDec 17, 2025
Lucy Hale Stars in Jacquie Aiche’s Holiday CampaignThe “Love and Desire” campaign is inspired by the magic that follows when one’s heart leads the way, said the brand.
GradingDec 17, 2025
SSEF Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersTwo awardees will receive free tuition for an educational course at the Swiss lab, with flights and lodging included.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
MajorsDec 16, 2025
Pandora’s New CEO Will Step Up EarlyBerta de Pablos-Barbier will replace Alexander Lacik at the start of January, two months earlier than expected.
Weekly QuizDec 11, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsDec 16, 2025
Suzanne Belperron, JAR Shine in Sotheby’s First Auctions at New HQSotheby’s held its first two jewelry sales at the Breuer building last week, and they totaled nearly $44 million.
Events & AwardsDec 16, 2025
TJS Now Accepting Scholarship Applications for 2026Winners will receive free registration and lodging for its fourth annual event in Detroit.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
ColumnistsDec 16, 2025
Beyond Unboxing: Creative Reveals to Drive Reach and EngagementHere are six ideas for making more engaging content for Instagram Reels and TikTok, courtesy of Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams.
Events & AwardsDec 16, 2025
Diamonds Do Good Names 2026 Award RecipientsThe honorees include a notable jewelry brand, an industry veteran, and an independent retailer.
Policies & IssuesDec 15, 2025
Sara Yood Named Co-Chair of RJC Standards CommitteeYood will serve alongside Eduard Stefanescu, the sustainability manager for C.Hafner, a precious metals refiner in Germany.
IndependentsDec 15, 2025
M.S. Rau to Open Store in AspenThe New Orleans jeweler is also hosting pop-up jewelry boutiques in New York City and Dallas.
AuctionsDec 12, 2025
13.54-Carat Paraíba Tourmaline Sets Records at Christie’sSet in a Tiffany & Co. necklace, it sold for $4.2 million, the highest price and price per carat paid for a Paraíba tourmaline at auction.
MajorsDec 12, 2025
David Webb Reveals Ice-Cold Holiday Window DisplayThe jeweler’s “Deep Freeze” display showcases its iconic jewelry designs frozen in a vintage icebox.
CollectionsDec 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Oscar Heyman’s Sphene RingTake luxury gifting to new heights this holiday season with the jeweler’s showstopping 12-carat sphene ring.
Events & AwardsDec 12, 2025
IGI Jewelry Design Contest Now Accepting SubmissionsThis year's theme is “Unveiling the Depths of the Ocean.”
TrendsDec 11, 2025
Pinterest 2026 Trend Report: Brooches, Bold Gold, Cool BlueIn its annual report, Pinterest noted an increase in searches for brooches, heirloom jewelry, and ‘80s luxury.
GradingDec 11, 2025
GIA to Offer Origin Determination for 3 More GemstonesStarting Jan. 1, customers can request the service for opal, peridot, and demantoid garnet.
IndependentsDec 11, 2025
Look Inside Day’s Jewelers’ Ninth StoreThe 111-year-old retailer celebrated the opening of its new location in Salem, New Hampshire, which is its third store in the state.
MajorsDec 11, 2025
Americas Gold Releases New Gold Chain CatalogThe new catalog features its most popular chains as well as new styles.
AuctionsDec 10, 2025
Francis Ford Coppola’s Watch Sells for $10.8MThe filmmaker’s personal F.P. Journe “FFC” prototype was the star of Phillips’ recent record-setting watch auction in New York.
WatchesDec 10, 2025
There’s A New Rolex Boutique in MiamiThe new location in the Design District pays homage to Miami’s Art Deco heritage and its connection to the ocean.
SurveysDec 10, 2025
Consumer Confidence Drops in November Inflations, tariffs, and politics—including the government shutdown—were among consumers’ top concerns last month.
SourcingDec 10, 2025
NAJA Announces Details for 2026 ‘Ace It’ Winter Conference“Longtime favorite” presenters, as well as first-time speakers, will lead talks and workshops at the annual event in Tucson next year.
Events & AwardsDec 10, 2025
MJSA Names 2025 Responsible Design Challenge WinnerSilas Smith of Meridian Metalworks won the challenge with his pendant that blends Australian and American landscapes.
AuctionsDec 09, 2025
‘Desert Rose’ Diamond Sells for $8.8M in Abu DhabiThe sale of the 31.68-carat, sunset-hued stone was part of Sotheby’s first series of events and auctions in Abu Dhabi.
ColumnistsDec 09, 2025
Holiday Sales Happen in December, Most Decisions Don’tMost customers who walk into your store this month have made up their minds. Your job is to validate their choice, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
