A notable influencer has been taken into custody in connection with a daring jewellery shop heist. The incident unfolded when a group of four armed individuals forcefully entered the jewellery store, shattering the windows with mallets. During the swift eight-minute raid, the suspects allegedly made off with 15 valuable watches.
The robbery occurred at the esteemed Berger jewellery store, nestled within the upscale Antara Shopping Centre in Mexico City, Mexico. The total worth of the stolen loot was estimated at £78,544 (MXN 1.7 million).
One suspect, identified as 27-year-old Marco ‘N’, was apprehended the following day while travelling in a luxurious van, purportedly the same vehicle employed during the escape from the scene.
Yulissa Mendoza, a 25-year-old singer and influencer, was present in the vehicle at the time of Marco’s arrest. She claimed to be romantically involved with Marco but professed ignorance regarding the shop heist and his alleged criminal activities.
Nevertheless, a subsequent search of the vehicle conducted by the authorities uncovered mallets, axes, a substantial quantity of cocaine, and a 9mm calibre firearm.
Law enforcement officials disclosed that Mendoza has since been linked to charges related to drug trafficking and bribery, leading to her current detention in a pre-trial facility.
Despite her high social media following, consisting of 1.4 million TikTok followers and 164,000 Instagram fans, Mendoza is not presently suspected of direct involvement in the jewellery shop robbery.
As news of her arrest spread, a considerable number of her supporters staged protests outside the Santa Martha Acatitla women’s prison on 4 July. Carrying banners decrying the alleged violation of Mendoza’s human rights, they demanded her release, claiming that Judge Víctor Elías Pacheco had imposed an unjust two-month pre-trial detention period while the investigation is underway.
Chanting slogans such as “Yulissa, you are not alone” and “You see, you feel, Yulissa is innocent,” the protesters aimed to amplify their belief in Mendoza’s innocence.
Due to her arrest, the singer was compelled to cancel at least two scheduled concert appearances.
Meanwhile, Marco, who is suspected of masterminding the jewellery shop heist, faces multiple charges, including robbery, drug trafficking, bribery, and possession of a firearm exclusively used by the Mexican Army.
In addition, another suspect involved in the robbery, Xavier Sadrac ‘N’, aged 28, was apprehended on 3 July. The authorities are diligently working to locate the remaining two suspects as the investigation into the 26 June raid continues.
