Millions of dollars' worth of jewellery stolen from security truck at California rest area

On their way back from a jewellery display, thieves in California broke into an unsecured security truck and stole jewellery and gemstones valued at millions of dollars, according to the police. Authorities announced on Monday that the robbery took place last week in a rural rest area in southern California after the vehicle's two armed guards left.

The parking area of a 7-Eleven store is cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape. The security company Brinks' tractor-trailer had been driving overnight from a jewellery show in the San Francisco Bay area down to the Los Angeles area for another event. According to Michael Mileski, the Los Angeles sheriff's sergeant, it was not immediately clear if the suspects followed the car on its 375-mile (604-kilometre) journey or chanced upon it at the rest area in a crime of opportunity.

After noticing that the trailer's lock had been tampered with at about 2 a.m. on July 11, the guards reported the robbery, according to Mileski. Researchers are attempting to figure out how the lock was cracked. In the unincorporated community of Lebec, which is roughly 75 miles (121 km) north of downtown Los Angeles, the Flying J gas station and truck stop, it was unclear how long the guards had left the vehicle alone.

According to Brandy Swanson, director of the organisation, the goods were put aboard the truck late on July 10 following an exposition held by the International Gem and Jewelry Show in San Mateo, California, south of San Francisco. She explained that it was heading to an event at the Pasadena Convention Center, which is located northeast of Los Angeles.

(with inputs from agencies)