Three arrested after $500K watch stolen off diner’s wrist

Suspects allegedly gang members

LOS ANGELES — Three alleged gang members were arrested in the armed robbery of a man’s $500,000 watch while he was eating outdoors at an Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills, authorities said Wednesday.

The three suspects, who were arrested Tuesday, were members of the Rollin30s Crips, a South Los Angeles street gang, authorities said.

Malik Lamont Powell, 20, Khai McGhee, 18, and Marquise Anthony Gardon, 30, each face up to 20 years in prison on a federal charge of conspiracy to commit robbery. Two other suspects remain at large.

Police have not yet found the rare wristwatch the men are accused of stealing: a rose-gold Richard Mille RM 11-03 Flyback Chronograph.

Surveillance video shows the suspects scouting the area near the restaurant before the robbery, according to a court statement by FBI Agent Michael Fukuda.

Three of the suspects were wearing hoods when they reached the sidewalk terrace where jeweler Shay Belhassen was eating lunch. One of them, Fukuda said, put a gun to Belhassen’s head and told him: “Give it to me.”

Two others yanked Belhassen’s watch from his wrist. Belhassen grabbed for the gun being held against his temple. During a struggle over the weapon, two shots were fired and a bullet hit a female diner in the leg. Police said her wound was relatively minor.

The suspects left the gun on the ground and ran to a getaway car, a black BMW owned by Powell, authorities said.

Powell’s cellphone was tracked near Il Pastaio at the time of the robbery, and images of guns and high-end watches were posted on his social media accounts, according to the FBI.

Beverly Hills Police Chief Dominick Rivetti said technology, along with “top-notch” police work, helped lead to the arrests.