Two Men Arrested in Connection with Smash and Grab of Westchester County Jewelry Store
HARTSDALE, N.Y. — Federal authorities have arrested two New Jersey men in connection with a violent smash-and-grab robbery that took place at a Hartsdale jewelry store in December 2024. Kevin Williams, 26, and Byron Wilson, 24, both of Irvington, were taken into custody Tuesday morning and are facing federal robbery charges.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the two men are accused of participating in a coordinated daylight robbery of a jewelry store in the Westchester Square shopping plaza on December 16. Prosecutors allege that Williams and Wilson, along with others, used sledgehammers to break into the store, where they proceeded to shatter display cases and steal an estimated $1.7 million worth of high-end jewelry, including luxury watches and diamonds.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured the suspects arriving in a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee with stolen license plates. The suspects, dressed in black and masked, are seen using sledgehammers to force their way into the store. Prosecutors said several customers and employees were present during the incident and sought cover as the robbery unfolded.
After the theft, authorities allege the suspects fled the scene and returned to New Jersey. Later that day, according to the complaint, investigators say Williams was tracked to Manhattan’s Diamond District, while Wilson returned to their shared residence. Later that afternoon, photos allegedly taken by the suspects appeared to show them posing with large stacks of cash.
An investigation by the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and several law enforcement agencies linked the pair to the robbery using surveillance footage, GPS data from their mobile phones, and searches conducted on Wilson’s phone following the incident. One such search included the phrase “Hartsdale news,” and authorities say Wilson viewed media coverage of the robbery shortly after it occurred.
Williams and Wilson are each charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and Hobbs Act robbery, federal offenses that each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted. Both men are expected to appear before a federal magistrate in White Plains.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out additional arrests. The charges are accusations at this stage, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reyhan Watson. The investigation involved the FBI’s Newark Field Office, the Nassau County Police Major Case Squad, the Greenburgh Police Department, and the Newark Police Department.
