Crime

Jewelers Sue Brink’s After Losing Merchandise in Heist

CrimeAug 25, 2022

Jewelers Sue Brink’s After Losing Merchandise in Heist

Brink’s is taking legal action of its own after the parties disagreed about compensation for the missing goods.

20220825_Brinks truck.jpg
The value of the jewels stolen from a Brink’s truck last month is now the subject of two legal actions. (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/GeorgHH)
Los Angeles—Twenty-two bags filled with jewelry and watches were stolen from the back of a Brink’s truck near Los Angeles last month.

The value of the stolen goods is now the subject of two legal actions, one filed by the jewelers who were robbed and the other by Brink’s.

The truck was loaded with exhibitors’ merchandise from the International Gem and Jewelry Show, held in San Mateo, California, from July 8-10, and was heading to another show at the Pasadena Convention Center, scheduled for July 15-17.

Along the way, the driver pulled into a Flying J rest stop, where an unknown suspect(s) broke into the locked vehicle, stealing 22 of the 73 bags of jewelry.

The exhibitors reported their losses at more than $100 million and expected to be compensated, but Brink’s calculated the losses at less than $10 million.

Brink’s filed a legal complaint in New York on Aug. 4, seeking a declaratory judgment against the jewelry companies, claiming they “substantially under-declared the value of their shipments on the pickup manifest.”

The manifests for the 22 missing shipments declare a total value of $8.7 million, said Brink’s.

Court documents detail the terms of the contracts with the exhibitors, including a stipulation that customers must declare the actual monetary value of the shipment.

The lawsuit also sheds some light on what happened the night of the robbery.

The two armed guards, named only as Driver 1 and Driver 2 in court documents, left around midnight. Driver 1 drove the truck to the rest stop and left Driver 2 asleep in the truck.

After spending about 30 minutes inside grabbing food, Driver 1 returned to the truck to find the red plastic seal around the trailer was cut, as was the trailer’s rear lock. Driver 2 said he did not see or hear anything unusual.

There were no closed-circuit televisions or other surveillance devices near the parked truck, said Brink’s.

The jewelers who lost goods in the heist filed their lawsuit against Brink’s Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging breach of contract and negligence and asking the court to award them hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

Additional defendants include the two drivers, a Brink’s sales and show support specialist, and Pilot Flying J, the owner of the Flying J rest stop.

The lawsuit outlines several complaints, including the alleged negligence of Brink’s and the drivers, a hard-to-read contract, misleading advice from a sales specialist regarding insurance, and the failure of the rest stop to provide a safe environment.

A Brink’s spokesperson said the company does not comment on active litigation.

The lawsuit states: “This action seeks to rectify the wrong Brink’s has heaped on top of the theft its drivers practically invited to happen.” 

The plaintiffs took issue with the behavior of the drivers, particularly Driver 1 being asleep in the sleeping berth while on the clock, though Brink’s states in its lawsuit that the driver’s behavior was in line with what U.S. Department of Transportation regulations allow.

 Related stories will be right here … 

Brink’s also did not use a secured armored vehicle, but rather “an 18-wheeler semi-truck/trailer combination” with “an easily defeated lock on the trailer,” court documents state.

Regarding the contract, the suit alleges the terms written on the reverse side of the pickup manifest were illegible, noting the small font size and poor color contrast, and “rife with inconsistent provisions.” 

The jewelers also said they had no time to negotiate the terms, as the pickup manifest had to be signed before goods were transported. 

As for the issue of underinsurance, the jewelers claim they were advised by a Brink’s employee named in the lawsuit to understate the value of the goods to cut down on shipping costs.

They claim they were not warned that doing so would mean they would be unable to recover the full value of their goods in the event of a loss.

The jewelers also allege they were not told their goods would be left unattended in an unsecure location, which they pin on Flying J parent company Pilot Flying J.

The lawsuit accuses Pilot Flying J of breaching its duty to maintain a secure environment, failing to provide adequate lighting and other security matters, particularly when its rest stops are frequented by many drivers with high-value cargo.

“Brink’s leaving valuable property unattended in a poorly lit, remote location, in a poorly secured trailer parked in a position where access to it could not be observed by the people charged with the very duty of protecting it, amounts to willful misconduct and/or gross negligence that precludes enforcement of any contractual limits that would otherwise benefit Brink’s,” court documents state.

The plaintiffs said they have suffered emotional stress and have been “deprived of the ability to earn a living.”

Many of the jewelers stated in the lawsuit that trade shows are their only source of income, and now they are missing a significant amount of inventory.

The defendants are asking for damages in the amount of $100 million for the direct loss of property and an additional $300 million in damages, as well as attorneys’ fees and other costs related to the lawsuit.

The Latest

GIA iD100® Technology
Supplier BulletinJul 03, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your Business

Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America

Madison Keys in Brilliant Earth campaign
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Brilliant Earth Names Tennis Star Madison Keys as Its New Ambassador

The 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.

Muse Nordstrom shop-in-shop
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Muse Sets Up Shop in Nordstrom’s New Jewelry Hall

The West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.

an instructor and a student in a bench jewelry classroom
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench Jewelers

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Shree Ramkrishna Exports
SourcingJul 03, 2025
SRK Announces Its Natural Diamonds Are Now Carbon-Negative

This past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.

Weekly QuizJul 02, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Yeprem Golden Strada Statement Necklace
CollectionsJul 03, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Firework of Diamonds From Yeprem

The brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.

Exterior and entryway of Boucheron’s Los Angeles Flagship
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Boucheron Looks to LA for First West Coast Flagship

Located on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.

Jewelers of America logo with meetup, State of the Majors, giveaway and massages
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Exterior of Marco Bicego Milan Flagship
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Marco Bicego Opens Milan Flagship

The new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.

Chrono24 Time Is Our Thing campaign image
WatchesJul 02, 2025
Chrono24 Revamps Brand, Launches New Campaign

The online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.

Bernadette Mack
SourcingJul 02, 2025
Bernadette Mack Joins Gem Legacy as Executive Director

She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.

Cast Issa Rae
MajorsJul 01, 2025
Cast Closes Business, Plans for Relaunch

The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.

Eve Goldberg, Matthew Denatale, Willie Lopez, Benjamin Goldberg
Events & AwardsJul 01, 2025
William Goldberg Diamonds, FIT Partner for Apprenticeship Program

The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

Elie Hannoush
IndependentsJul 01, 2025
Elie Hannoush, Founder of Hannoush Jewelers, Dies at 73

He is remembered for his successful entrepreneurship, generosity, and dedication to his family.

Claire’s store
MajorsJul 01, 2025
Claire’s Is Looking for a Buyer, Report Says

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.

Mindi Mond Spike Earrings
TrendsJul 01, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Red Hot Rubies

Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

The Story of Everything Campaign, Toadstool Mushroom and Cosmic Egg
CollectionsJun 30, 2025
State Property’s New Jewelry Tells ‘The Story of Everything’

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

Smart Age Solutions CEO Emmanuel Raheb
ColumnistsJun 30, 2025
The Smart Lab: Why Q3 Is the Secret Weapon For Holiday Jewelry Sales

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

Morgan Keefe
Events & AwardsJun 30, 2025
AGA Names Recipient of 2025 Gemological Education Scholarship

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

The Jewelry Book
IndependentsJun 30, 2025
Melanie Grant’s New Book Explores 200 Years of Jewelry

“The Jewelry Book” comes out this September.

Gemist
TechnologyJun 27, 2025
Gemist Raises $6M in Funding to Scale Jewelry Tech Platform

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Jeff Preolo, David Stout, Levi Higgs, David Benavides
IndependentsJun 27, 2025
David Webb Announces New Hires, Promotions

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

Blake Graham and Jessica Kohoutek
Events & AwardsJun 27, 2025
AGS, GIA Announce Beatrice Shipley Scholarship Winner

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

Buddha Mama Monstera Ring
CollectionsJun 27, 2025
Piece of the Week: Buddha Mama’s ‘Monstera’ Wrap Ring

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Cashier handing Rocksbox bag to customer
MajorsJun 26, 2025
Why Rocksbox Is Opening Stores As Signet Jewelers Downsizes

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

Penny Ruston
IndependentsJun 26, 2025
Penny Ruston Dies at 80

The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

Stock image of woman shopping
SurveysJun 26, 2025
After Recovering in May, Consumer Confidence Dips in June

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy