The theft, which is believed to be the largest in U.S. history, happened five weeks ago as a Brink's tractor-trailer was transporting the jewels to a gem show in Pasadena, California.
New details are emerging from an estimated $100 million jewelry heist from a Brink's armored tractor-trailer.
The theft, which is believed to be the largest in U.S. history, happened five weeks ago as the vehicle was transporting the jewels to a gem show in Pasadena, California.
The truck pulled into the Flying J rest stop, about 75 miles from Los Angeles. One guard went to the 24-hour restaurant for food. He left the other asleep in the sleeping berth of the truck.
After eating dinner, the driver says he returned 27 minutes later to find the truck had been broken into. According to court papers, the guard who was sleeping claims “he did not see or hear anything unusual.”
The new information is contained in dueling lawsuits filed this week by both Brink's and the jewelers, in which the jewelers accuse the iconic private security company of being “grossly negligent.”
The jewels were "stolen right out from under the noses” of the guards, the jewelers' lawsuit claims.
Attorney Gerry Kroll represents the jewelers.
“We have a driver who's supposedly asleep. We have a driver who's having a meal for, what, 27 minutes? We have a truck that's parked in an area that is pretty dark, no cameras. I don't think it takes a lot to realize that this is, at a minimum — at a minimum — gross negligence,” Kroll said.
In court papers, Brink's says the jewelers declared the gems' value at just $8.7 million, and if that wasn't accurate, they shouldn't have to pay a dime.
