For many people, seven seems like a lucky or sacred number. However, some news proves that this number may not be so lucky after all. Seven men were accused by federal officials of a jewelry theft that occurred three years ago in July. The members of the gang stole a total of over $101 million in precious stones and pieces. The sum is so unprecedented that this crime is considered the largest jewelry heist in the U.S.
A Brinks truck filled with gemstones and exclusive timepieces was parked in Lebec in 2022. It was loaded with goods from an exhibition in San Mateo, near San Francisco. The theft occurred at night, when drivers least expected it.
Video report from ABC4 LOS ANGELES.
The accused group followed the truck through California for more than 300 miles, making two stops: in Lebec and Buttonwillow. The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that the criminals carried out the theft on the evening of July 10 and left with 23 bags of valuables on the night of July 11. They presumably switched off their mobiles as the GPS and cell tracking data suggest just after the heist.
On June 11, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted the group, accusing the seven members of two counts of theft involving both domestic shipments and deliveries outside the country. Most members may have also been involved in interference with commerce.
The indictment reveals that this wasn’t the only criminal activity of the accused. Four of the members supposedly planned to steal $240,572 in electronic devices in March 2022. Despite their grand plans, they successfully managed to steal only $14,080 worth of goods. The men are also accused of theft of Apple AirTags with a total value of $57,380 and a failed robbery in May aimed at another shipment.
If the defendants are proven guilty, five of them might end up in jail for up to 20 years based on robbery-related charges. And all seven can receive up to a decade for each theft count and five years for conspiracy regarding shipment thefts, the Attorney’s Office states.
As of a week ago, officers have managed to find a part of the stolen jewelry, but the items’ total estimated value hasn’t yet been revealed to the public.
The Olertis team hopes for the fairest resolution of the criminal cases. With this being said, spending 20 or more years in prison seems like a massive punishment, and we hope for the mildest sentence given that the thefts involved no murders or serious bodily injuries.
