San Francisco jewelry heist suspect surrenders to police

By Adam Martin, Bay City News Service

March 11, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - The third and final suspect in one of San Francisco's largest robberies ever surrendered himself to police this week.

Devin Troy Smith, 43, of San Francisco, gave himself "completely out of the blue,'' according to San Francisco police Inspector Dan Gardner.

"He knew he had the outstanding arrest warrant and he turned himself into the sheriff's office around noon on Monday,'' Lt. John Loftus said.

Smith and two accomplices are accused of breaking into the Lang Estate Jewelry store on April 7, 2003 via a rear wall. His brother, Dino Smith, was convicted in November and sentenced to 23 years in state prison, according to police. Co-defendant George Smith pleaded guilty in the case and awaits sentencing.

Smith's co-defendants did not give any information to lead to his arrest, Gardner said. Smith gave himself up on his own accord.

Gardner said today that Smith was instrumental in the robbery.

"(Smith) burglarized a vacant restaurant, cut a hole in the wall and laid in wait to false imprison and rob the employees of the jewelry store,'' Gardner said. The robbers held up the four people who came in to open the store at about 9 a.m., Gardner said. They made off with about $5 million worth of merchandise, Gardner said.

Smith faces four counts of armed robbery, two counts of burglary, four counts of false imprisonment, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of conspiracy, Gardner said. He is due to be arraigned Tuesday.

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