Local jewelry heist could be connected to others nationwide

After a jewelry heist that nabbed more than half a million dollars of precious gems, prosecutors say the crime may be linked to others around the country.

Wednesday at the Regional Justice Center in Kent, prosecutors said the heist could have been a screenplay.

“[The couriers are] facing individuals at least armed with a knife, ski masks, gloves; they jump out of a van like you'd probably see in the movies,” explained Gary Erndorff with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

That's exactly how it played out Monday when police say the three suspects -- none of whom attended their court hearings Wednesday -- robbed a courier outside a SeaTac hotel of nearly half a million dollars in diamonds.

When they were arrested, the suspects had wallets but no identification and gave police fake names.

They were identified later by fingerprints as Gustav Orrieta, Jorge Tatieas-Jarmillo and Pablo Sanchez.

"As long as you're low profile and nobody knows you, it’s safe,” said Haysam Gamil, a former diamond courier in Belgium and now a diamond manufacture in Seattle.

Haysam believes heists like this one don't happen on a whim.

“The minute he left where he came from -- whether New York or California -- the minute he left, someone knew who he was and what he looked like,” Haysam explained.

Prosecutors say this kind of jewelry theft has happened in our area at least six times in the last few years, resulting in $3 million in stolen jewels.

"We've been contacting and exchanging information with an FBI agent in New York dealing with a similar series of robberies.

At least one of our defendants is a person of interest in New York,” Erndorff said.

Dallas, Houston and Los Angeleshave seen nearly identical robberies. One resulted in a death.

"These are high stakes games these guys are playing and they have so far played to win,” said Erndorff.

Haysam said the diamond industry as a whole is high stakes and he's playing to win too; he keeps his diamonds in a safe, his office unlabeled, and his person protected.

"We carry guns,; obviously, we have our guns,” Haysam concludes.

A judge said because the crimes they are accused of are so sophisticated and they likely have the means to do it again, bail for the suspects has been set between $5 million and $10 million.

Cox Media Group