SEVEN people have been identified and charged with stalking an armoured truck to a rural freeway rest stop north of Los Angeles and stealing USD 100 million worth of diamonds,emeralds and more in what is believed to be the largest jewellery heist in US history, federal authorities announced.

 

Two of the seven suspects have been arrested and were due in federal court in Los Angeles on Tuesday, court recordsshowed. Four of them remained atlarge, while one of thesuspectsis serving prison time in Arizona for an unrelated burglary and was expected to appear in court inLosAngelesin the coming weeks. Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig andJesonNelon Presilla Flores were arrested Monday, and both have been indicted on federal theft and conspiracy charges, authorities said. ‘TheAssociatedPress’ sent emailed requests on Tuesday seeking comment from their lawyers. TheheistunfoldedinJuly 2022 after the suspects scouted the armored truck leaving an international jewelry show near San Francisco with 73 bags of jewellery.

 

The suspects followed the truck forroughly300 miles to the rest stop north of Los Angeles, making off with 24 of the bags that authorities said also contained gold, rubies and luxury watches. Some of the jewelry has since been recovered, the US Attorney’s Office in California said. Some of the suspects are also charged with other robberies,including one in March 2022 when USD 240,000 worth of electronics was taken from a truck.