Across the United States, immigration authorities are actively searching for people living in the country illegally. But in some cases, when those immigrants are finally captured, authorities uncover something far more serious than an immigration offense. The individuals facing deportation turn out to be major criminals who had been committing serious crimes while hiding in plain sight. Authorities in Martin County, Florida, arrested 33-year-old Maru Rostas just one day after a jewelry store robbery in Stewart. Rostas, a Romanian national in the country illegally, [music] had been moving from state to state, targeting high-end jewelry stores and unsuspecting victims. Investigators say his crimes weren't random. They were part of a calculated nationwide pattern. >> Driver, step out with your hands up. >> Daddy working. Hands up on top of your head. Put your hands on top of your head. Turn around. Face away from me. Start walking back towards the sound of my voice. Let me get some hands over here. Stop. Stop. >> Hands. I got hands. >> Keep coming back towards the sound of my voice. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Stop. >> Because I put my kids on the car. >> You got your kids in the car? How old are they? Is there any other adults in the car? >> My wife. >> Your wife. Where is she at? The front seat. >> Yes, please. >> Okay. What's your name? >> Yes. >> Front seat passenger, come out WITH YOUR HANDS UP. COME OUT. Put your hands up. >> Walk back towards the sound of my voice. Walk back. Come back. Come back. >> Put your hands on top of your head. >> Okay. Okay. Put your hands on top of your head. Come back to me. All right. Stop. Turn around. All right. Walk back to you. Oh, >> I'm sorry. Come on. >> My children might be in the car. >> We know. We understand. We understand. Do you have any weapons on you? >> No. >> No. Okay. All right. How old are your kids? >> And it's hard operation. >> Okay. Is any any other adults in the car? >> Uh, no adult. It's my three children. >> All right. Sit over here. Jaylen, it's on you guys. Just talk to camera. There's only There's only three small children in there. So, we can You guys just want to go up and clear. >> Yeah. Nobody believe you is only my child in the car. >> Just sit against just sit right here >> like this. >> What's that? >> Like this? >> Yeah, you're good. What? Uh, >> please. My my kids are scared. Please not be the gun, please. >> Okay. >> Everything's fine. What's your name? >> Nastasia. >> What is it? >> Nastia. >> Nastia. Okay. We'll explain to everything that's going on. Okay. >> Please make sure you >> It's okay. Wait. Once they clear it, we'll get the kids and then we'll bring them to you. Okay. >> You guys, okay, >> you got you got you got your shoes with mommy. Okay. Okay. >> Not bad. >> Yeah. We just grab their shoes. We can uh just photograph this real quick. We'll move them over here and then we'll get the car out here and we'll open it back up. When deputies pulled over Rostas, he wasn't alone. He was traveling with his wife and two young children. That's when officers noticed something impossible to ignore. His 10-year-old son was wearing a Rolex valued at over $40,000, far too large for his wrist. His daughter was also wearing an expensive necklace. What initially looked suspicious quickly turned incriminating. A search of the vehicle revealed the full scope of the operation. Inside the car, deputies found a $40,000 diamond ring, multiple luxury watches, gold chains, gold coins, and nearly $30,000 in cash hidden inside one of the children's stuffed animals. In total, investigators estimated the stolen property to be worth around $400,000. Real? >> I don't know. I can't tell. >> Don't feel real. Are you a watch guy? Yeah, >> you never know with Rolexes. >> Yeah, there's good fakes right there. It's really hard once your hands are broken off on it to it. Too late to use on Found. Wonder if they wear some of this stuff just to make it look >> Yeah. Make it look like >> like they have money. >> Yep. And then it was [ __ ] jewelry. But somebody was collecting a little bit. >> All the jewelry. >> Yeah. >> I'm not sure. >> I'm not going to lie. And here another um some usually have to have a little emblem on the back. >> You should probably take a picture of all these sunglasses cuz they're probably using them inside the store. >> Yep. That way you can identify them. They're in there. They're over here too. Oh, it might be like a comfort pillow maybe. I don't know. Hold on. >> Check 66. >> Oh, look at there. >> That's a lot of money. >> Oh, let's see the other pillow we're doing that. for check. >> No, this is jewelry. >> Money. It was all hidden inside. >> What was it? >> Stack full of money. >> And uh jewelry. Whole stack full of money. >> Really? >> And uh jewelry. >> Really? Or something >> in the stuffed animal. >> Smart. >> Mhm. >> That's a diamond. >> I mean, if it's real, it's >> This one's definitely real. This is the one I was taking in college. We're taking these phones. >> Yeah. See, that's got the emblem on the back, too. Those don't even have the emblem on the back. Looks like I mean, that's that's probably real. >> Yeah, >> it's it's heavy. Briefly, uh the gold color Rolex glove box. Pink color Rolex glove box. Tennis style bracelet glove box. Um the gold bar thing I found I wrote uh driver's uh back seat storage that little storage bag cell phones I would they were everywhere. So >> according to the sheriff's office Rostess is wanted in multiple states for similar thefts. Investigators also uncovered several fake identification documents used to avoid detection while traveling across the country. Authorities say he is part of a larger network of organized distraction theft groups that move from city to city committing fast coordinated robberies. These groups often use women and children to distract employees or victims while another member quietly steals valuables within seconds. Jewelry stores, retail outlets, and even private homes are common targets. By the time victims realize what's happened, the thieves are already gone. >> Obviously, the the main reason why you're here is this warrant. um out of Michigan. It's for theft and some other things. Um just going to kind of dive right into this. Obviously, when we stopped you, we found a bunch of jewelry, uh including Rolexes and stuff like that. Where did all these things come from? Cuz they were like kind of hidden obviously. It's a little odd, wouldn't you think? So, where those where did those things come from? No comment. >> No comment. Okay. So, there was a Rolex located on your son on his on his wrist that's stolen. Where did those come from? >> No comment. Do you want to talk to me about any? I'll let you talk. >> Depends. >> Okay. Well, on what? >> What does it depend on? What do you want to talk about? >> Depend what you >> Okay. Do you still remember everything that I read you before? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, the watch that was on your son was stolen from another county here in Florida. >> No comment. >> No comment. Okay. Well, I'm going to let you know that was you stealing it. We know it's you stealing it. >> No. >> Okay. How about the bracelets that were on your wife? They're like cold bracelets that she had on. >> No comment. Okay. Am I just wasting my time sitting here or you is everything just going to be no comment? Cuz I'll just take you straight to the jail. You're not going anywhere. You're not getting out um from there. Okay. Unless you want to talk. >> Yeah. >> Okay. After years of traveling undetected, Rostas' crime spree ended because of one careless detail. A luxury watch that didn't belong on a child's wrist. Immigration officials responded to the arrest and an ICE detainer has been placed on him. While formal charges are still pending, authorities say the investigation is far from over. If you want more real cases involving ICE arrests, deportations, and major illegal immigrant criminals caught operating inside the United States, make sure to like, subscribe, and stay tuned for more stories.