Jewelers victimized in Brink’s heist describe devastation: ‘I was torn apart’
LOS ANGELES — The jewelry industry isn’t as glitzy as it seems, especially for those on the trade show circuit.
These jewelers travel from city to city, selling their wares to wholesalers and shoppers at convention centers crowded with booths under harsh light.
It was after one such expo in San Mateo, California, when 14 of these companies were victimized in the heist of a Brink’s big rig at a Grapevine truck stop on July 11. The high-profile crime at the Flying J Travel Center — which could be among the biggest jewelry thefts ever — has spotlighted their close-knit world.
In interviews with the Los Angeles Times, jewelers described a business built on handshake deals, generous favors and well-earned trust. It’s work that hinges on artful salesmanship and requires long days competing for customers — but also fosters a sense of camaraderie among jewelers who have made it a way of life. Now, however, the heist has upended this tightknit community, decimating the 14 companies whose merchandise was stolen in Lebec while en route to the L.A. area for another trade show. The size of the haul is in dispute, with estimates ranging from less than $10 million to more than $100
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