Dale James (R), a 29-year-old American suspect, is held in police custody in Da Nang City, central Vietnam, for a jewelry store robbery, August 27, 2025. Photo: H.B. / Tuoi Tre
At 10:30 am on Wednesday, about 14 hours after the crime, officers detained the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Dale James, a U.S. passport holder, who was found hiding in a rented apartment in An Hai Ward.
The robbery took place at around 8:50 pm on Tuesday at a jewelry store at 455 Nui Thanh Street in Hoa Cuong Ward.
Eyewitnesses said the assailant, wearing a ride-hailing service jacket and a helmet that concealed his face, attacked and injured a security guard with a weapon.
The robber then smashed the store’s glass window with a hammer.
Some bystanders tried to intervene with sticks, but the suspect managed to grab valuables, put them into a backpack, and flee.
Police quickly secured the crime scene, carried out a forensic examination, and launched a rapid manhunt.
Senior Da Nang police officials were also present to oversee the investigation.
Initial findings indicate that after the robbery, the suspect fled on a rented motorcycle with its license plate removed, rode through several streets, and returned to his apartment to hide the stolen items.
Investigators later tracked him down, raided the residence, and arrested him.
James has been in Vietnam since June 2025.
The jewelry stolen by the foreign suspect was estimated at VND800 million (US$30,350).
Authorities said the case remains under investigation and further details are being clarified.
