An estimated $100 million jewelry heist from Brink’s armored tractor trailer has given rise to new details.
The vehicle, which was carrying jewels to Pasadena, California, was stolen five weeks ago. It is believed that it was the largest theft in American history.
The truck pulled into Flying J Rest Stop, which is located approximately 75 miles away from Los Angeles. One guard went to the 24-hour restaurant to get food. The other guard remained asleep in the truck’s sleeping berth.
The driver claims that he returned to the truck 27 minutes after consuming dinner. Court papers state that the guard, who was asleep, claimed to have been broken into the truck. “he did not see or hear anything unusual.”
This information was revealed in the dueling lawsuits filed by Brink’s as well as the jewelers this week. In which the jewelers accuse the famous private security company of being “grossly negligent.”
The jewels were “stolen right out from under the noses” of the guards, the jewelers’ lawsuit claims.
Gerry Kroll is the attorney representing 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 stated.
Brink’s states that jewelers claimed the gems’ worth at only $8.7million. They shouldn’t have had to pay a dime if it wasn’t.