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After 3 Long Years, the Feds Reveal Who Pulled Off the Largest Jewelry Heist in U.S. History
PJMedia ^ | 6/20/25 | Victoria Taft

Posted on 06/20/2025 5:32:09 PM PDT by CFW

Federal prosecutors and law enforcement believe they've solved the biggest jewelry heist in U.S. history.

In the middle of the night, on July 11, 2022, thieves broke into the trailer of a Brinks big rig parked at a truck stop on the stretch of I-5 freeway known as The Grapevine. The Grapevine is a 40-mile stretch of road that is the bane of every trucker's trip between the Central Valley, over the Tehachapi Mountains, and down again into the Los Angeles County basin. The worst part of it is the six-mile-long, 6% grade in which truckers travel a snail's pace, while travelers zip in and out of traffic. It's a nightmare. I've driven it countless times. It requires a full tank of fuel and coffee and an empty bladder.

But that night in 2022, it became an even bigger nightmare than usual for the drivers of the Brinks truck. The truck was loaded with bags of jewelry believed to be worth $100 million. The loot was being taken back to the 14 Pasadena jewelers whose goods were part of a big San Francisco area jewelry show.

The loot — 24 bags filled with diamonds, rubies, gold, emeralds, and rare watches — disappeared into the night along with the robbers.

And for three years, the case was unsolved, much to the consternation of jewelers, customers, residents, and truckers.

[snip]

The indictment, returned June 11, charges the following seven defendants with two counts of conspiracy to commit theft from interstate and foreign shipment and theft from interstate and foreign shipment:

Carlos Victor Mestanza Cercado, 31, of Pasadena; Jazael Padilla Resto, a.k.a. “Ricardo Noel Moya,” “Ricardo Barbosa,” and “Alberto Javier Loza Chamorro,” 36, of Boyle Heights and currently an inmate in Arizona state prison; Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig,

...

(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: California
KEYWORDS: bloggers; brinks; crime; diversity; jewelryheist; la
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More defendants and info at link.

See? Diversity is our strength!

1 posted on 06/20/2025 5:32:09 PM PDT by CFW
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To: CFW

the witches on the view said immigrants commit LESS crime than americans!


2 posted on 06/20/2025 5:37:55 PM PDT by imabadboy99
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To: CFW

Well, they surely did good job.


3 posted on 06/20/2025 5:42:25 PM PDT by AZJeep (sane )
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To: CFW

The story is almost impossible to read with all the ads and interruptions. This was inevitable as all sites need to make money and short of subscriptions, this “seems” to be the only way. we shall see.


4 posted on 06/20/2025 5:43:20 PM PDT by Fungi
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To: CFW

Yogi, it’s those Hispanics again.


5 posted on 06/20/2025 5:44:46 PM PDT by DAC21
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To: CFW

Doing the heists that Americans won’t do.


6 posted on 06/20/2025 5:50:16 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: CFW

Five bean salad.


7 posted on 06/20/2025 5:51:34 PM PDT by SpaceBar
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To: CFW

I have a couple friends who lost a ton of money on this heist


8 posted on 06/20/2025 5:53:26 PM PDT by Vendome (I've Gotta Be Me https://youtu.be/wH-pk2vZG2M)
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To: CFW

Does gold count as jewelry? If so, the FBI heist of the Confederate Civil War gold was likely larger.


9 posted on 06/20/2025 6:14:48 PM PDT by alternatives?
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To: CFW
The worst part of it is the six-mile-long, 6% grade in which truckers travel a snail's pace, while travelers zip in and out of traffic. -snip- It requires a full tank of fuel and coffee and an empty bladder.

Remind me to never travel with Victoria.

10 posted on 06/20/2025 6:19:56 PM PDT by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
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To: CFW

I don’t know anything about these guys, but I suspect there is an unnamed “Mr. Big” that directed these guys.

Maybe too much movie watching on my part.


11 posted on 06/20/2025 6:23:30 PM PDT by VanShuyten ("...that all the donkeys were dead. I know nothing as to the fate of the less valuable anima)
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To: CFW

How many are illegal? And how stupid is Brinks to leave this cargo unattended for even a moment?


12 posted on 06/20/2025 6:39:09 PM PDT by jocon307 (DEMOCRATS DELENDA EST)
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To: jocon307

I’d say all and very.


13 posted on 06/20/2025 6:41:04 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: jocon307

$100 million overland with no support fore and aft. I’ll bet Brinks was sued left and right.


14 posted on 06/20/2025 6:43:48 PM PDT by Bookshelf
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To: VanShuyten

Mr Blond.
Mr. Pink
Mr. Orange

L


15 posted on 06/20/2025 7:32:38 PM PDT by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: Lurker

I was thinking of the “Pink Panther” or maybe “The Italian Job”. “Ocean’s 12” maybe.


16 posted on 06/20/2025 7:55:22 PM PDT by VanShuyten ("...that all the donkeys were dead. I know nothing as to the fate of the less valuable anima)
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To: CFW

Doing the jobs Americans won’t do, I guess.


17 posted on 06/20/2025 8:22:52 PM PDT by Some Fat Guy in L.A. (Still bitterly clinging to rational thought despite its unfashionability)
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To: CFW
Doing jewel heists Americans don't want to do.

18 posted on 06/20/2025 8:31:33 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endures forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: CFW

Joseph R Biden.


19 posted on 06/20/2025 8:37:14 PM PDT by If You Want It Fixed - Fix It
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To: VanShuyten

Definitely a big boss somewhere.

“Federal prosecutors say the gang of thieves was quite busy. They are alleged to have pulled off a quarter of a million dollar heist of Samsung electronic equipment in Ontario, Calif. They are accused of holding up another truck driver, taking off with “$57,377 worth of Apple AirTags,” and allegedly were responsible for another theft at a Fontana truck stop. “


20 posted on 06/20/2025 8:54:52 PM PDT by CFW
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