Full Notification

Correction (8/8/2025): The vehicle involved was previously listed as a grey Kia Telluride. The correct vehicle is a white Jeep Compass. 

Newark, California (Friday, August 8, 2025)  

Over the past several weeks, the Newark Police Department has been investigating a string of deceptive and often assaultive jewelry swap scams that have impacted elderly victims throughout the Bay Area.

The first incident in Newark occurred on Thursday June 26, 2025, when an elderly couple was approached while on a morning walk. The victim’s gold chain was forcibly ripped from her neck, and both victims were thrown to the ground during the robbery.

On June 29, 2025, a second jewelry theft occurred. In this case, four female suspects fled the scene in a vehicle similarly described to the one used in the first incident. A third theft was reported on July 1, 2025, involving two female suspects who stole two diamond bracelets and a diamond necklace. Victims were able to provide descriptions of the suspects, and the vehicles involved. The Newark Police Department Detectives worked collaboratively with surrounding law enforcement agencies to identify their getaway vehicles and believe all three incidents are linked.

On July 22, 2025, Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras alerted officers to the suspects’ vehicle returning to Newark. Officers located the vehicle, a grey Kia Telluride, conducted a traffic stop, and contacted the occupants, Ion Stoian, a 25-year-old man, and Daliana Dragomir, a 19-year-old woman both from New York.

Inside the vehicle, Officers discovered a large quantity of costume jewelry, consistent with the suspects’ method of operation, in which they would swap out real jewelry for fake pieces during interactions with victims. Stoian and Dragomir were arrested by Newark Police Officers and both suspects were formally charged by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for robbery.

The Newark Police Department continues to urge residents to remain vigilant, particularly when approached by strangers offering jewelry or other items and to report any suspicious activity immediately.

If you believe you or someone you know may have been a victim of a similar crime, please contact Detective Seargent Matt Warren at [email protected] or by phone at 510-578-4960. Information can also be left anonymously on the "Anonymous Tip" hotline at 510-578-4965.  

Community Engagement Manager Shobna Sharma will be the point of contact for media inquiries. She can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 510-578-4929.