2022 Brink's theft
Image taken by Los Angeles County deputy sheriffs inspecting the ransacked truck | |
| Date | July 11, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Time | 2–2:30 a.m. (Pacific Time) |
| Location | Lebec, California, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°48′56″N 118°53′20″W / 34.8156°N 118.8890°W |
| Type | Jewelry theft |
| Property damage | $8.7–100 million in jewelry stolen |
| Accused | 7 |
At 2 a.m. on July 11, 2022, a Brink's truck driver carrying jewelry between jewelry shows in the U.S. state of California stopped at a Flying J truck stop near Lebec, north of Los Angeles. During this period, almost a third of the jewelry bags they had been transporting were stolen. It is believed, due to the amount of jewelry stolen in such a short time, that there were several people involved. Some of the jewelers believe that the theft was an inside job, or at least that Brink's may know more than it has publicly disclosed. Several experts stated that it would be unlikely that any of the stolen jewelry will be recovered because the stolen metals can be melted down and recast. Additionally, identifying marks on the stones can be eliminated by jewelers working with thieves.
Brink's estimated that $8.7 million in jewelry had been stolen and promised to reimburse the affected jewelers. Some of the jewelers have sued the company. They have admitted in depositions that they, like many of their colleagues, routinely understated the value of the jewelry being transported on manifests they filed with Brink's, in order to keep their insurance costs down to a level where their businesses can be profitable. They have accused Brink's of negligently failing to properly secure the truck, since the rear doors had a simple padlock and security seal. Brink's in turn has sued to limit the payout to the declared value of the jewelry, accusing the jewelers of breach of contract. Estimates of its true value have reached $100 million, which would make it one of the largest jewelry thefts in modern American history and among the ten largest ever. The loss has effectively forced some of the jewelers to close their businesses and leave the industry.
In 2025, seven alleged co-conspirators in the theft were indicted. The FBI had established that they had worked together on several previous thefts in San Bernardino County, following delivery trucks and then stealing from the trailers when they were parked, usually at truck stops. Some of the stolen jewelry has been recovered. Attorneys representing the jewelers in their case against Brink's say the details of the crime further prove the company's negligence.