Gem Show Dealers, Beware!
It was on its way from San Francisco in the wee morning hours to a gem and mineral show in Pasadena with a cargo of jewelry and gemstones with an estimated value of $150 million. at’s when a Brink’s cargo trailer was broken into at 2 a.m. at a Flying J travel plaza in Lebec, California. While the driver and crew relieved themselves at a rest stop, someone relieved them of the contents of their trailer. ey had been targeted and followed.
e FBI oce in Lancaster, California, is pursuing an investigation, with the driver and crew fully cooperating. Per Arnold Duke (President, International Gem & Jewelry Show), “It’s such a tragic situation.” Some mom-and-pop dealers who follow the local gem show circuit lost everything, with insurance expected to cover only a fraction of the losses. Stolen items included gold jewelry, diamonds and rare gems, as well as Rolex and Cartier watches. While the gemstones are untraceable and the gold might be melted down, many of the watches have engraved serial numbers, giving hope that the thieves may be tracked.
Beware! If participating in a show—whether local or international—never leave a vehicle unattended, and purchase adequate insurance for all the wares you oer!