Inmate conducted jewelry store heists in Buford, Snellville from jail cell

LAWRENCEVILLE - A man convicted this week in the robberies of two jewelry stores in Gwinnett County apparently coordinated the crimes from his jail cell in south Georgia.

Gwinnett Police say Deuntria Lyons used a contraband cellphone to orchestrate the robberies at Tara Fine Jewelry in Buford and Barron's Fine Jewelry in Snellville.

Investigators said Lyons sent text messages from Smith State Prison in Glennville instructing others where to meet and how he wanted them to carry out the robberies.

An estimated $1.2 million dollars worth of jewelry was stolen during the two robberies.

Barron's was robbed in February 2011, while Tara was robbed in March 2011.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.