The Biggest Jewelry Heists in History

The most historic jewelry heists have incredible background stories. There was the 2022 robbery of an armored truck in California with the thief capturing $100 million in valuables. Or, the 2003 cracking of the Antwerp Diamond Center vault in which perpetrators surpassed 10 levels of safeguards. And the famous 1964 theft of the American Museum of Natural History that involved some of the world’s most famous gemstones.

While jewelry heists hold a certain lore and interest, they also come with real consequences. Here are the stories behind the seven biggest jewelry heists in history, and what we’ve learned from them.

1. The Brinks Armored Truck Heist (2022)

The largest heist on record in America occurred recently, in 2022, when seven men stole about $100 million in gold, gemstones, and watches from an armored Brinks truck (via NPR). The thieves followed the truck, which was transporting valuables from an international jewelry show in San Francisco to Los Angeles, before taking about a third of its inventory.

Together, the FBI and California police traced the stolen jewelry over multiple years, before arrests were finally made in 2025.

This was far from the accused parties’ first foray into thievery of this kind. In the past, they also followed trucks carrying other valuable items, such as electronics and tech gadgets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

2. The Antwerp Diamond Heist (2003)

If we specifically zero in on diamond theft, the largest and most shocking event was the Antwerp Diamond Heist in Belgium in 2003 (via People). It involved five individuals (four of whom have since been captured and sentenced to prison) that robbed the precious Antwerp Diamond Center vault, claiming they were hired by a diamond dealer to do the deed.

The massive effort required getting through 10 security layers, including seismic, light, heat, and motion detectors. Even so, the group was successful, pulling more than 100 safe deposit boxes from the diamond center vault, altogether worth $100 million.

The crew was only caught after they tossed out some incriminating trash on the side of the road during the getaway. To this day, most of the stolen goods have never been found.

3. The American Museum of Natural History Heist (1964)

In the movies, heists often take place at museums, which is exactly where Jack Murphy (aka Murph the Surf), Allan Kuhn, and Roger Clar stole their loot.

In 1964, the three broke into the American Museum of Natural History in New Yorkand stole about $3 million worth of world-famous gemstones from the JP Morgan Hall of Gems and Minerals. They got away with the world’s biggest sapphire, the Star of India; the world’s most perfect ruby, the DeLong Star; and the world’s largest black sapphire, the Midnight Star (via Smithsonian Magazine).

The men were only suspected after an informant saw them spending huge amounts of money from a hotel suite. With a search warrant, investigators found a museum floor plan and a book on gemstones in their possession, kicking off a search that would eventually result in the trio confessing and serving a short jail sentence.

4. The Schiphol Airport Diamond Heist (2005)

Like the 2022 California heist listed above, this 2005 ploy involved two thieves that intercepted a shipment of diamonds on its way back from an industry event. But this time, the theft occurred not on the road, but at an airport in Amsterdam (via The Times).

The culprits, disguising themselves as KLM Airline employees, waited for the cargo truck carrying the diamonds to pull up next to the aircraft, at which point diamonds and gemstones worth upwards of $72 million were taken.

During the escape, the thieves left nearly half the goods behind in their getaway car; the other half has never been located. It also was a slow process to arrest the people involved: The supposed mastermind behind the operation was taken into custody in Ibiza in 2024.

5. The French Riviera Heist (2013)

When this $130 million-plus heist occurred in 2013, it was reported as the biggest jewel theft in history  (via the LA Times).

The theft took place at the Carlton International Hotel in Cannes, Frances, the result of a single person breaking in and stealing a variety of items, including gemstones and luxury watches, that were being stored for an exhibit.

Poor security was blamed for the lone thief’s ability to get away with such a brazen act, and the case has never been solved. However, some suspect it was connected to the international jewel thief gang, The Pink Panthers.

6. The Dresden Green Vault Heist (2019)

If stealing from a museum isn’t challenging enough, how about a royal palace? That’s precisely where the Dresden Green Vault heist took place in 2019 (via NPR).

Jewels and artifacts worth $123 million were stolen from Dresden’s Royal Palace in Germany by two thieves that entered the building’s exhibition space during the night and took historic items such as a diamond-covered sword once belonging to the 18th century King of Poland.

Unfortunately, while some of the items have been recovered and are now back on display, other items, such as a diamond-encrusted breast bow, have not been recovered. Several individuals with criminal family ties have since been charged with participating in the heist.

7. The Harry Winston Double Heist (2007 & 2008)

In this historic theft, perpetrators returned to the scene of the crime and committed two heists in the same spot. In back-to-back raids in 2007 and 2008, separate groups of four individuals entered the Harry Winston store in Paris, France. In total, they stole more than $100 million worth of luxury watches and jewels (via the BBC).

In 2011, police located $19 million of the stolen jewelry that had been hidden in a Paris drain, but no other jewelry has been located since. In 2018, eight people were arrested; the mastermind behind both ordeals had already served two decades for theft and drug trafficking.

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Historic Jewelry Heists FAQs

What Was the Biggest Jewelry Heist in US History?

The biggest jewelry heist in US history occurred in 2022, when seven men stole $100 million worth of jewelry from a semi-truck that was traveling to Los Angeles.

How Many Years in Jail Do Thieves Get for Robbing a Jewelry Store?

If someone robs a jewelry store, they may get around six years in prison and a fine. However, if the crime is upgraded to first-degree robbery, which means the individual used a weapon and/or injured someone, they could receive a prison sentence of 10 years or more.

What Qualifies as a Heist?

A heist is technically the same thing as an armed robbery, but is often used to describe more complex, elaborate robberies that take place on a grander scale.

Is the Average Homeowner at Risk for Jewelry Theft?

Yes! Anyone who owns jewelry is at risk for theft. Additionally, the average homeowner carries even greater risk if they’re relying on their homeowners insurance to cover jewelry if a burglary occurs. The typical homeowners insurance policy only covers a small portion of the total value of stolen jewelry.

How Can You Get Jewelry Insurance for Theft Protection?

All you have to do is compare and contrast jewelry insurance quotes from providers and then pick the policy that works best for you. With BriteCo, policies start at just 1–2% of your jewelry’s total value, per year.

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