On August 20, 2026, at approximately 2:57 PM, San José Police Department Patrol Officers responded to a report of a strong-armed robbery that occurred in a business parking lot located in the 5300 block of Almaden Expressway. An elderly adult female victim was approached by an adult female suspect who forcibly took her ring and gold chain necklace before fleeing the scene in a vehicle operated by an adult male driver.

During the preliminary investigation, Patrol Officers, with the assistance of the SJPD Real Time Intelligence Center (RTIC), utilized Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras to identify a suspect vehicle. RTIC personnel monitored the vehicle’s direction of travel, where it ultimately travelled out of the city of San José.

On August 21, 2026, with the use of ALPR cameras, RTIC personnel located the suspect vehicle in the city of Concord, where they were notified by the Concord Police Department that the suspects attempted a strong-armed robbery outside of a business. ALPR cameras alerted RTIC personnel that the suspect vehicle had returned to the city of San José to a business located in the 2200 block of Senter Road.

Patrol Officers conducted a vehicle enforcement stop and detained two adult males and one adult female. The suspects were identified as Ruxandra Constantin, Caldararu Constantin, and Constantin Constantin.

As Officers were taking the suspects into custody, an elderly female victim approached Officers on-scene and reported she had just been robbed of her gold chain necklace by the same suspects. Suspect Ruxandra Constantin was found to be in possession of a bag containing multiple pieces of gold jewelry.

 

SJPD Robbery Unit Detectives began an investigation. During the investigation, Detectives further determined that the suspects were responsible for an additional grand theft of a gold chain necklace that occurred on August 16, 2026 at a business parking lot located in the 5300 block of Almaden Expressway. The victim in this case was an elderly male.

All three suspects were booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail for robbery.

Chain snatch robberies have been an increasing trend not only in the city of San José but throughout the Bay Area. In these cases, the suspects typically approach elderly victims walking in public and forcibly remove the gold chain necklace off the person. Often times, the suspects will use distraction techniques, such as selling jewelry, striking up a conversation, or swapping the jewelry out without the victim's knowledge.

Due to the nature of these crimes, Detectives believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with information about these cases or similar cases is asked to contact Detective Thandi #4415 of the San José Police Department Robbery Unit via email: 4415@sanjoseca.gov or 408-277-4166.

Submit crime tips and remain anonymous by using the P3TIPS mobile app, calling the tip line at (408) 947-STOP, or on the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers website. If the information you submit leads to an arrest, you are eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers Program.