Four Arrested over $3m Jewelry Heist
June 23, 25
(IDEX Online) - Four people have been arrested and charged over theft of jewelry worth over $3m from a store in California, USA, last month.
They are accused of cutting through the wall of an adjacent property, then through the side of a safe at 5 Star Jewelry & Watch Repair, at a strip mall in Simi Valley.
They escaped with gold bullion, customer jewelry, cash, luxury watches (such as Rolex, TAG Heuer, Omega), irreplaceable family heirlooms left for repair and the owner's cash retirement fund, without ever actually setting foot inside the store.
The value of items stolen was originally put at $2m, but has since been revised up to over $3m.
At the time of the raid, owner Jacoub Youssef, and his son Jonathan said they'd lost "a lifetime's worth of work".
The suspects are "members of a sophisticated burglary crew," Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in a press release.
He said the gang allegedly cut through the roof of Dr. Conkey's Candy and Coffee on 25 May, and spray-painted surveillance cameras.
The defendants have been named as Manuel David Ibarra (38), Sergio Andres Meji-Machuca (27), Camilo Antonio Aguliar Lara (32), and Heidy Nickolt Trujillo (26)17. All are Chilean nationals linked to an international theft ring.
They have all pled not guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit commercial burglary and two counts of conspiracy to receive stolen property.
They also face "special allegations of excessive loss over $3 million, and theft or damage in concert with others".
They are currently being held on $100,000 bail and a preliminary hearing is set for June 26.
Picture shows the suspects, from left: Sergio Andres Meji-Machuca, 27; Heidy Nickolt Trujillo, 25; Camilo Antonio Aguliar Lara, 31; and Manuel David Ibarra, 37. Pic courtesy Ventura County District Attorney's Office.