Sleight-of-Hand Man Indicted for Diamond Thefts at Cartier and Tiffany & Co.
Yaorong Wan, 49, was indicted Aug. 5 and charged on four counts, including grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property for two jewelry store heists going back to March.
| 12 Aug 2024 | 04:20
The Tiffany and Co. on Fifth Avenue was one of two locations Yaorang Wan allegedly robbed. (
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A 49-year-old, sleight-of-hand expert was indicted on Aug. 5 for stealing diamond rings from Tiffany & Co. and Cartier, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. announced.
Yaorong Wan from Queens stole one diamond ring (valued around $225,000) from Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue on March 4, and one diamond engagement ring (valued around $24,000) from Cartier in Hudson Yards on March 12.
In both cases, Wan allegedly entered the store to inquire about specific pieces of jewelry, and used sleight-of-hand to switch out a genuine ring for a counterfeit one.
Tiffany & Co. realized it was counterfeit during an inventory check on March 11. The lookalike featured a cubic zirconia stone mounted in 18-carat white gold, instead of a natural diamond mounted in platinum. It was also missing engraving, hallmarking, and its SKU number.
“As alleged, Yaorong Wan stole diamond rings worth approximately $260,000 from two businesses earlier this year,” said Bragg. “Manhattan is the retail capital of the country, and we need our business community to thrive. Our Office will continue to hold those accountable who put Manhattan’s businesses at risk. I thank the NYPD for their continuous partnership.”
He is being charged twice for grand larceny (once in the second degree and once in the third) and criminal possession of stolen property (also once in the second degree and once in the third).
“Mr. Wan’s purported career as a sleight-of-hand thief proved to be no match for the greatest detectives in the world,” said NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban, calling this a “significant case.”
“The NYPD is committed to making our city safer for all New Yorkers by reducing crime, improving quality of life, and protecting every business that is helping rebuild our vital economy.”
Amanda Barfield, the public defender for Wan, had not returned an email by presstime.