Seven Men Indicted For Largest Jewelry Heist in American History

Two men tied to what prosecutors call the biggest jewelry theft in U.S. history will remain in custody as the federal case against them—and five others—moves forward. Authorities say the crew stole millions in luxury goods from a Brinks truck after a cross-state tail of nearly 300 miles.

Key Facts:

Pablo Lugo Larroig and Jeson Presilla Flores were ordered held without bail on June 17 in California federal court.
The men are part of a group of seven charged with stealing $100 million in jewels from a Brinks truck in July 2022.
The truck was transporting goods from a San Mateo jewelry show and was targeted at a rest stop in Lebec, California.
Charges include Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to commit theft, and multiple counts of theft from interstate shipments.
Some stolen items have been recovered; other alleged thefts involved electronics and AirTags.

The Rest of The Story:

Prosecutors say the seven-man crew pulled off a dramatic $100 million robbery in July 2022, targeting a Brinks armored truck carrying jewelry from a show near San Francisco.

After tailing the vehicle nearly 300 miles, they allegedly struck at a rest stop in Lebec, stealing 24 bags of valuables.

Among those charged are men from across Southern California, with one suspect already serving time in Arizona on unrelated burglary charges.

Authorities say the same group committed several other cargo thefts that year, including heists of Samsung products and Apple AirTags, sometimes using knives or crowbars.

“These were not random crimes,” said the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a public statement. “These men are accused of organized, targeted theft across state lines.”

Some of the jewelry has since been recovered, but much remains unaccounted for.

In what is considered to be the largest jewelry heist in U.S. history, 7 men were charged for breaking into a Brinks semitruck and stealing approximately $100 million worth of gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds & watches being transported in 2022. Details: https://t.co/DJuKeUihIx pic.twitter.com/byFEBEUjTK

— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) June 18, 2025

Commentary:

Let’s be honest—this crew didn’t just “get lucky” and stumble upon a Brinks truck.

They planned it. They followed it.

And they executed one of the boldest cargo thefts in modern history.

It was a gutsy play for a massive payday.

But like most criminal masterminds who think they’re smarter than the law, they eventually slipped.

You don’t deactivate your phones the next day unless you’ve got something to hide.

And if you’re going to tail a high-value armored truck for 300 miles, you better believe law enforcement is going to dig deep once the crime hits the national radar.

Stealing $240,000 in electronics, threatening truck drivers, and using crowbars to pry open cargo—all of that speaks to a crew that wasn’t just greedy but aggressive.

These weren’t harmless guys in ski masks—they were ready to use violence if needed.

The feds didn’t just stumble into this case.

This kind of coordination among the FBI, sheriff’s deputies, and multiple local police departments takes time and commitment.

And they deserve credit for starting to unravel this crew’s web.

Each robbery charge could mean up to 20 years in prison.

If justice plays out as expected, these men are looking at serious time—possibly the rest of their working lives.

And they earned every second of it.

This is exactly the kind of story that shows why we need strong law enforcement and tougher sentences for organized theft rings.

California has had its fair share of soft-on-crime policies, but federal charges are a different ballgame.

In the end, crime like this rarely pays off in the long run.

They may have thought they’d hit the jackpot, but now they’ll be lucky if they see daylight anytime soon.

Let them tell their tale behind bars.

The Bottom Line:

A crew of alleged thieves tried to make off with one of the largest jewelry scores in American history—but federal authorities say they left a trail of evidence.

With serious charges stacked against them and potential decades in prison, their high-stakes gamble is unraveling fast.

Justice appears to be catching up—and it’s moving faster than any Brinks truck they tailed.