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Man arrested after impersonating military, stealing $100,000 diamond

A 26-year-old man is accused of using a fake story about an upcoming deployment before stealing a 5.54 carat diamond from a Bellevue jewelry store.
Arquae Daveon Kennedy, 26, is accused of using a fake story about an upcoming deployment before stealing a 5.54 carat diamond from a Bellevue jewelry store. (Photo: Bellevue Police)

A Vancouver, Wash. man accused of impersonating a member of the military and stealing a $100,000 diamond from a Bellevue jewelry store was arrested Friday.

Arquae Daveon Kennedy, 26, who is not a member of the armed forces, dressed in military fatigues and went into Diamonds Inc. in Bellevue on February 22. Kennedy told the store employee he had just gotten engaged, was about to be deployed, and was shopping for 3 to 5 carat diamonds for a wedding ring, according to Bellevue Police.

When the store employee showed him a 5.54 carat marquise diamond, Kennedy grabbed the stone and ran out of the store.

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The store manager chased Kennedy, who fled in a getaway car driven by an accomplice. The manager grabbed Kennedy’s uniform as he got in the car and was dragged down the street when the car pulled away. Kennedy punched the manager, who fell, according to Bellevue Police.

Police tracked down Kennedy from fingerprints left at the scene.

Kennedy was charged Monday with second degree robbery.

The stolen diamond has not been recovered, and the man’s accomplice is still at large.

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