Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig and Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores were arrested Monday, and both have been indicted on federal theft and conspiracy charges, authorities said. The Associated Press sent emailed requests Tuesday seeking comment from their lawyers.
The heist unfolded in July 2022 after the suspects scouted the armored truck leaving an international jewelry show near San Francisco with 73 bags of jewellery, according to the indictment.
The suspects followed the truck for roughly 300 miles (482 kilometers) 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 Tuesday in a news release.
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.
The indictment says some of the defendants would act as lookouts, while the others would break into trucks and steal the merchandise, sometimes by force or by threatening violence against the drivers. (AP) MNK MNK