From the darkish night hours till the early morning of July 11, 2022, a crew of California males allegedly stalked a Brinks armored semi truck for 300 miles.
The truck made its method south from a global jewellery expo in San Mateo within the San Francisco Bay Space, to relaxation stops in Buttonwillow and Lebec, California, each north of Los Angeles. The truck was carrying 73 luggage of bijou together with pink sapphires in cushion cuts, deep-blue sapphires displaying uncommon six-pointed stars, emeralds with sizable carat weights, and jade inexperienced pendants surrounded by diamonds.
The seven-man crew allegedly struck within the morning whereas the truck was in Lebec, after plotting the heist for 3 days, authorities alleged in an indictment unsealed this month. The group allegedly stole 24 luggage of gems together with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and costly jewellery and Rolex watches from the Brinks truck. Victims later valued the haul at $100 million, making the alleged theft the biggest heist in U.S. historical past, in line with prosecutors. The seven-man crew then allegedly introduced the stolen items to east Hollywood and every proceeded to deactivate their cellphone numbers within the days after the alleged caper.
The indictment, returned this week, charged the seven California males with two counts of conspiracy to commit theft, amongst different theft and theft fees. Every defendant faces 5 years in federal jail for theft conspiracy and 10 years for every theft cost. In keeping with authorities, the boys charged embrace Carlos Victor Mestanza Cercado, 31, of Pasadena; Jazael Padilla Resto, 36, of Boyle Heights and at the moment an inmate in Arizona state jail; Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig, 41, of Rialto; Victor Hugo Valencia Solorzano, 60, of the Rampart Village neighborhood of Los Angeles; Jorge Enrique Alban, 33, of South Los Angeles; Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, 42, of Upland; and Eduardo Macias Ibarra, 36, of the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Messages left for Cercado, Lugo Larroig, and Alban had been unreturned and makes an attempt to succeed in Padilla Resto, Valencia Solorzano, Flores, and Ibarra had been unsuccessful.
In what is taken into account to be the biggest jewellery heist in U.S. historical past, 7 males had been charged for breaking right into a Brinks semitruck and stealing roughly $100 million price of gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds & watches being transported in 2022. Particulars: https://t.co/DJuKeUihIx pic.twitter.com/byFEBEUjTK— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) June 18, 2025
Apple, Samsung units
Authorities alleged within the indictment that this wasn’t the crew’s first rodeo. The courtroom paperwork present the alleged thieves are accused of placing vehicles and drivers for months earlier than the large jewellery heist allegedly occurred.
Again in March 2022, Mestanza, Lugo Larroig, Valencia Solorzano and different conspirators allegedly hunted a truck hauling electronics from Ontario, California, out for supply. On March 2, the truck driver stopped at a retailer in Ontario and whereas the trio allegedly distracted him inside, others fled with $240,573 price of Samsung units, authorities alleged. They allegedly introduced the products to Padilla’s place, the place he took pictures of the stolen electronics.
Then on March 11, Lugo Larroig allegedly served as a scout whereas Mestanza, Padilla, Valencia Solorzano, Alban and others allegedly trailed a field truck carrying Apple AirTags from China to be delivered to a warehouse in Fontana, California. When the driving force stopped for meals in Fontana, the 4 served as lookouts across the restaurant, in line with courtroom paperwork.
Nevertheless, authorities say the driving force caught the group making an attempt to steal the AirTags and a confrontation ensued. One allegedly yelled on the driver, “Don’t move or I will f—k you up!” whereas holding a small knife, authorities alleged. The 4 ultimately made off with the stolen Apple gear, valued at $57,377, authorities declare.
On Could 2, 2022, the group was allegedly at it once more and drove to a truck cease in Fontana to focus on a semi truck. On the relaxation cease, one of many defendants allegedly used a crowbar to interrupt right into a truck. The group later stole Samsung electronics valued at $14,081, authorities alleged.
Following the Could haul, the group allegedly spent three separate days scouting the jewellery present earlier than following the Brinks truck on the night of July 10.
Authorities stated search warrants carried out final week recovered a few of the $100 million in jewellery stolen within the heist.
In a press release, a Brinks spokesperson instructed Fortune the corporate appreciated legislation enforcement’s work in resolving the theft. “Like everyone, we want to see those responsible brought to justice and the stolen goods returned,” the spokesperson stated.
Representatives from Apple and Samsung didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
