Thieves in Southern California stole tens of millions of {dollars} value of gems and jewellery from an armored car final week, officers mentioned.
Brandy Swanson, a director on the Worldwide Gem and Jewellery Present in San Mateo, south of San Francisco, mentioned the stolen rarities have been estimated to be greater than $100 million.
Dana Callahan, a spokeswoman for Brink’s safety, confirmed the merchandise was loaded into certainly one of their vehicles following the present on July 10 and that it was robbed on its method to Los Angeles.
Swanson mentioned 25 to 30 baggage have been stolen from the truck and that 18 victims reported sizable losses following the theft.
Callahan, nonetheless, disputed the estimated determine.
“In keeping with the knowledge the purchasers offered to us earlier than they shipped their objects, the overall worth of the lacking objects is lower than $10 million,” Brink’s mentioned in a press release. “We’re working with legislation enforcement, and we are going to absolutely reimburse our clients for the worth of their property that have been stolen, in accordance with the phrases of our contract.”
Swanson mentioned the “mom-and-pop operators” sometimes underinsure their jewellery as a result of they can’t afford the prices and costs related to insuring it absolutely.
“That’s the place the discrepancy is available in. These are mom-and-pop operators,” Swanson mentioned. “They’re devastated. A few of these individuals have misplaced their whole livelihoods.”
Laura Eimiller, an FBI spokeswoman in Los Angeles, mentioned the theft occurred within the desert metropolis of Lancaster, because the truck was heading from San Mateo to an occasion on the Pasadena Conference Middle.
