California: Brink’s Truck Jewelry Heist May Have Netted Thieves $150 Million

A massive Brink’s heist discovered on July 11 is making global headlines: according to a report in IDEX Online, thieves who broke into an unattended Brink’s security trailer in Southern California “may have escaped with up to $150m in jewelry, gems [and] high-end watches.”

The truck was driving from the International Gem and Jewelry Show in San Mateo, south of San Francisco, to an event at the Pasadena Convention Center. The guards discovered the truck’s lock had been tampered with during a 2am rest stop.

According to Brink’s, the total value of the stolen items was $10 million, but the head of the San Mateo event, Arnold Duke, gave a very different estimate, saying it may have been high as $150 million. According to Duke, exhibitors “routinely underinsured goods because of high premiums and their trust in Brink’s.” He called it a “tragic situation” and explained that many of the victims were mom-and-pop operators “who have lost their entire livelihoods,” according to the report.

Brink’s said in a statement: “We are working with law enforcement and we will fully reimburse our customers for the value of their assets that were stolen, in accordance with the terms of our contract.”