Arif Sayed of Sayed Wholesale was killed in Huntsville, Texas, after an altercation with thieves.
Sayed, 59, and his wife left the International Gem & Jewelry show in Houston on April 17 around 6 p.m., according to Kent McClenahan of the Texas Jewelers Security Hotline. They then stopped at a Huntsville McDonalds, and saw a group of men removing merchandise from their car.
According to the Texas Jewelers Security Hotline newsletter, Sayed grabbed onto the bumper of the suspects’ car and was run over. He was taken to Hermann Hospital with several broken bones. He died April 19.
The Jewelers’ Security Alliance issued a warning to industry members following the incident. “The gangs that attack the jewelry industry will not hesitate to use force, including deadly physical force, when a jeweler confronts them or resists,” said JSA President John Kennedy.
On April 29, four Colombian nationals, believed to be part of an organized ring that targets jewelers, were arrested in conjunction with Sayed’s death and charged with murder, according to The Huntsville Item.