The merchandise was loaded onto a Brink’s truck from an event hosted by the International Gem and Jewelry Show on July 10 in San Mateo, near San Francisco, said Brandy Swanson, the group’s director of events. He said the truck was on its way to another show 370 miles away at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena. But under undisclosed circumstances, the merchandise was removed from the truck near Los Angeles early Monday, said Dana Callahan, a spokeswoman for Brink’s. The value of the stolen merchandise, which included several gold and diamond necklaces, was not immediately clear. It was also unclear how many pieces had been taken. One of the jewelers, who requested anonymity for security reasons given the expensive jewelry he handles, estimated the total value of the stolen items at between $20 million and $50 million. Ms. Callahan said it was less than $10 million. “According to the information customers gave us before they shipped their items, the total value of the missing items is less than $10 million,” Brink’s said in a statement. “We are cooperating with law enforcement and will fully reimburse our customers for the value of their stolen property in accordance with the terms of our contract.” The jeweler said Brink’s was not transparent with the owners of the jewelry and that many key questions about the loss remained unanswered. Neither authorities nor Brink’s released details about what had happened, including where the theft occurred and whether anyone was injured. A spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation said the agency was cooperating with local authorities, but could not provide more information. In its statement, Brink’s called the episode “an incident of loss.”
