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An expert believes the $30 million cash heist from a Los Angeles warehouse on Easter Sunday could go unsolved.
Scott Selby, a lawyer and co-author of 'Flawless,' which chronicles the Antwerp Diamond Heist, the largest diamond heist in history, told the New York Post that the March 31 San Fernando Valley incident was committed by "a group that would have to have a lot of prior experience."
“It’s like if you were a gymnast, you know, by the time you’re world-quality, you’ve already done a lot of work,” Selby said.
The incident took place at GardaWorld facility in Sylmar, which handles cash for various businesses in the Southern California region, and was reported to be among the biggest heists to ever hit Los Angeles. The break-in was described as being part of a complex scheme involving highly experienced burglars entering through the roof of the building and accessing the vault without setting off the alarm system.
Officials weren't made aware of the incident until after the safe was opened last Monday (April 1) as there were no signs of the break-in outside the actual vault. The Los Angeles Police Department was notified of the incident by Sylmar facility officials and gathered evidence at the scene.
“We know they’re good because they got in and out without anybody noticing. And so far, there’s nothing obvious that leads the LAPD and FBI to know who they are,” Selby told the Post. “It’s very possible that this case could go unsolved, given that level of skill involved with this, the fact that already there’s been no compelling leads.
“And also just the nature of what they stole,” Selby said. “I mean, you can’t work backwards. If someone sees a highly unusual diamond, they remember, ‘Hey, I know that stone.’ But nobody’s gonna be like, ‘Oh, yeah, I remember that used $100 bill.’ ”
Law enforcement sources confirmed that the heist totaled $30 million, which was more than any previous armored-car robbery incidents in the Southern California region. Jewelry exhibitors who hired Brinks Security Company to transport merchandise from the northern to southern regions of California were reportedly robbed of up to $150 million in jewels during a July 2022 incident that resulted in no arrests.
Thieves stole two dozen bags of the jewels while the vehicle was parked at a rest stop as one security guard on duty was sleeping and another was eating a meal inside the truck stop.