Seven Men Accused of $100 Million Jewelry Heist in U.S.

In a brazen heist that has been described as the largest jewelry theft in U.S. history, seven men from California are accused of stealing approximately $100 million worth of gems and luxury watches from an armored truck. The truck was transporting the high-value items following an international jewelry trade show in San Mateo, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The theft occurred on July 11, 2022, after the men allegedly tracked the Brinks armored semi truck for 300 miles, from San Mateo to rest stops in Buttonwillow and Lebec, north of Los Angeles. The truck was carrying 73 bags of jewelry, including rare pink sapphires, deep-blue sapphires, emeralds, and jade green pendants surrounded by diamonds.

The indictment, unsealed this month, alleges that the seven-man crew struck in the morning while the truck was in Lebec, after plotting the heist for three days. The group allegedly stole 24 bags of gems, including diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and expensive jewelry and Rolex watches. The victims later valued the haul at $100 million, making the alleged robbery the largest heist in U.S. history, according to prosecutors. The seven-man crew then allegedly brought the stolen goods to east Hollywood and each proceeded to deactivate their cellphone numbers in the days after the alleged caper.

The seven men charged include Carlos Victor Mestanza Cercado, Jazael Padilla Resto, Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig, Victor Hugo Valencia Solorzano, Jorge Enrique Alban, Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, and Eduardo Macias Ibarra. Each defendant faces five years in federal prison for theft conspiracy and 10 years for each theft charge.

This was not the first time the alleged thieves had targeted trucks. According to the indictment, the crew had been striking trucks and drivers for months before the massive jewelry heist. In March 2022, the group allegedly targeted a truck hauling electronics from Ontario, California. While the driver was distracted inside a store, the thieves allegedly made off with $240,573 worth of Samsung devices. Later that month, the group allegedly targeted a box truck carrying Apple AirTags from China to a warehouse in Fontana, California. A confrontation ensued when the driver caught the group trying to steal the AirTags, but they eventually made off with the stolen Apple gear, valued at $57,377.

On May 2, 2022, the group allegedly targeted another semi truck at a rest stop in Fontana, stealing Samsung electronics valued at $14,081. Following this haul, the group allegedly spent three separate days scouting the jewelry show before following the Brinks truck on the evening of July 10.

Search warrants carried out last week recovered some of the $100 million in jewelry stolen in the heist. A Brinks spokesperson expressed appreciation for law enforcement’s work in resolving the theft, stating, “Like everyone, we want to see those responsible brought to justice and the stolen goods returned.”

This case highlights the sophistication and audacity of the alleged thieves, who were able to plan and execute multiple heists over several months. The use of tracking devices and the targeting of high-value items suggest a well-organized criminal operation. The recovery of some of the stolen jewelry is a positive development, but the full extent of the theft and the whereabouts of the remaining stolen goods remain unclear. The case serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat of organized crime and the need for vigilant law enforcement efforts to combat such activities.