'Bait-and-switch' tactics used by Connecticut foursome to take jewelry from Nassau residents, police say

Four Connecticut residents were arrested on Wednesday for using a "bait-and-switch" operation to take jewelry from people across Nassau County in the past five months, Nassau police said.

Cosmina Caldararu, 39, Laura Calin, 33, Alexendru Dumitru, 36, and Constantin Dumitru, 41, all living at the same Walnut Street address in Bridgeport, were charged with multiple counts of grand larceny.

An investigation connected the four defendants with jewelry taken from victims ages 18 to 94 who live in several Nassau communities, Nassau police said in a Thursday news release.

The thefts took place on July 28 in Uniondale, Oct. 3 in Baldwin, Nov. 26 in Oceanside, Nov. 28 in Franklin Square, and last weekend in Valley Stream, police said.

A Nassau police spokesperson said on Thursday the thefts happened in the same fashion: One or as many as three of the defendants would approach people on the street and offer to sell them jewelry — mostly necklaces. When the targeted person removed their jewelry to try on the offered pieces, the defendants would pocket their jewelry in a "bait and switch" style operation, police said.

Caldararu is charged with seven counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and three counts of fifth-degree conspiracy. Alexendru Dumitru is charged with five counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and three counts of fifth-degree conspiracy. Calin is charged with four counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and two counts of fifth-degree conspiracy. Constantin Dumitru is charged with fourth-degree grand larceny, according to police.

The four defendants, who were released on appearance tickets, were immediately taken into custody by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement officers, police said.