What may very well go down as the biggest cash heist in Los Angeles history took place on Easter Sunday.
via: Los Angeles Times
The burglary occurred Sunday night at a facility in Sylmar where cash from businesses across the region is handled and stored, said L.A. Police Department Cmdr. Elaine Morales.
The thieves were able to breach the building as well as the safe where the money was stored, Morales said. Law enforcement sources said the burglary was among the largest in city history when it comes to cash, and the total also surpassed any armored-car heist in the city.
Mystery surrounds the break-in.
Sources familiar with the investigation told The Times that a burglary crew broke through the roof of the Gardaworld building on Roxford Street to gain access to the vault. But it is unclear how they avoided the alarm system.
The Canada-based security company has not responded to requests for comment.
The operators of the business did not discover the massive theft until they opened the vault Monday. An ABC-7 TV news helicopter video showed a large cut on the side of the building covered by a piece of plywood.
Authorities were alerted, and detectives from the LAPD’s Mission Division station responded to the crime scene to gather evidence.
A law enforcement source confirmed to The Times there was an effort to breach the side of the cash-holding building in addition to the roof. At least one alarm was triggered during the crime, but it was not connected to local law enforcement, according to a source familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Further adding to the intrigue is that very few individuals would have known of the huge sums of cash being kept in that safe, according to law enforcement sources.
The break-in was described as elaborate and suggested an experienced crew who knew how to gain entry to a secure facility and go unnoticed.
An FBI spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday night that the agency and the LAPD are investigating the theft.
A federal source said investigators were trying to complete a full accounting of the missing cash, but said it could be the largest cash heist in L.A.’s history.
The prior largest cash robbery in Los Angeles was on Sept. 12, 1997, with the theft of $18.9 million.
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