now who do we know in north Carolina.???
Robbers take 275 pounds of gold bars worth $4.5M from armored truck on side of interstate
Article by: MICHAEL BIESECKER , Associated Press
Updated: March 2, 2015 - 5:00 PM
RALEIGH, N.C. — Shortly after dusk along a lonely stretch of Interstate 95, armed robbers hijacked an armored truck, tied up the two guards and disappeared into the night with 275 pounds of gold bars.
The guards working for Transvalue Inc. of Miami reported pulling off to the side of the interstate about 6:30 p.m. Sunday after their vehicle began having mechanical problems in eastern North Carolina, according to the Wilson County Sheriff's Office.
The guards told police they were surprised by three armed men driving a white van who ordered the guards to lie on the ground, tied their hands behind their backs and then marched them into nearby woods.
The robbers then helped themselves to barrels filled with about $4.8 million in gold before making their getaway. Transvalue said its employees were not injured during the heist.
http://www.startribune.com/nation/294682781.html
...........................
Highway heist: $4.8mn in gold bars stolen in N. Carolina, manhunt underway
Published time: March 03, 2015 07:22
Edited time: March 04, 2015 07:06
(http://cdn.rt.com/files/news/39/e0/90/00/gold-bars-stolen-reward.si.jpg)
Armed thieves have stolen 275lb (125kg) of gold bars from a truck on its way from Florida to Massachusetts. The gunmen are still at large, with the transportation company offering a reward of $50,000 for information leading to their arrest.
The armored truck with gold bars packed in barrels was traveling from Miami to Attleboro, Massachusetts, also known as 'Jewelry City' because of the large number of manufacturers there, when it was robbed on a rural stretch of Interstate 95 in North Carolina late on Sunday.
A manhunt for the gunmen has since been underway, led by Wilson County Sheriff's Office and joined by the FBI.
"We have been notified and are coordinating with our law enforcement partners to determine whether a federal crime has been committed," said Shelley Lynch, public affairs specialist of the FBI Charlotte Division, as cited by the Wilson Times.
The two guards employed with Transvalue Inc., who were transporting the gold, told investigators there had been a mechanical problem with the truck, causing them pull the vehicle to the side of the road.
Shortly after that, a white van with three armed men stopped near. The gunmen tied the guards' hands behind their backs and marched them into the nearby woods.
The thieves eventually got away with an estimated $4.8 million in gold bars. However, they reportedly didn't steal everything from the truck. It's not yet clear how much was left.
"At this time we are working with the authorities to try and resolve this matter," said Transvalue CEO Jay Rodriguez, as cited by AP. "We are offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of these criminals."
Transvalue, which specializes in transporting cash, precious metals, gems and jewelry in armored trucks, says its shipments are insured for up to $100 million.
http://rt.com/usa/237065-gold-bars-stolen-manhunt/
...............................
Sheriff: Gold heist may have been inside job
Posted: Mar 04, 2015 1:56 PM EST
Updated: Mar 04, 2015 3:11 PM EST
By Associated Press
WILSON, N.C. -
The crew of a truck carrying a load of gold bars headed for Attleboro had just pulled off a North Carolina highway when a seemingly ordinary episode of carsickness turned into a multimillion dollar heist.
As soon as the guards stopped on the shoulder, three robbers drove up in a cargo van and confronted them at gunpoint, yelling "Policia!" and ordering the crew to lie on the ground. The robbers tied their hands behind their backs and marched them into nearby woods, authorities said.
The thieves then set out orange traffic cones while they gathered up 275 pounds of gold bars worth $4.8 million and fled, leaving the two guards stranded on the roadside, desperate for help.
On Wednesday, authorities released search warrants filed the day after the heist in which detectives write that they suspected the robbery "could be an inside job."
"The fact that the truck was robbed immediately upon pulling over at an unannounced stop is suspicious in and of itself," the warrant states, adding that the truck had no external markings indicating the cargo. The warrant said the suspects tried to steal the truck but could not get it started, indicating they did not know how to operate a commercial truck.
At a news conference, Wilson County Sheriff Calvin Woodard said the guards were still considered victims, not suspects, but that all possibilities were being investigated.
Asked to elaborate on the warrants, the sheriff said they were written in a hurry before the victims, who spoke little English, could be thoroughly interviewed in Spanish.
The strange scene unfolded around dusk Sunday in a rural area about 50 miles east of Raleigh.
Earlier in the day, the guards had stopped for gas in Dillon, South Carolina, near the North Carolina line. As they kept driving, one of them started to feel sick and said he smelled gas, Woodard said.
However, after deputies arrived, a mechanic found no problems with the truck, according to the sheriff.
The guards got out of the tractor-trailer without their guns, according to the sheriff, who said it was a company security violation to leave the truck without their weapons.
Woodard said that the robbers cut a padlock, but there were no other security measures to stop them.
When the robbers were gone, the guards drew the attention of startled motorists, several of whom called 911 to report seeing uniformed men running into the highway with their hands bound, motioning for help.
"They've got their hands zip-tied behind their backs, and they're out in the road to try to flag people down to call the police," one caller said.
The caller described the scene to the dispatcher and waited in his car for at least 12 minutes for officers to arrive, according to recordings released by Wilson County authorities.
The man told the dispatcher he did not feel safe leaving his vehicle. One of the guards can be heard trying to relate details though his window.
The heist happened just hours after the truck left Miami for Attleboro.
Neither guard was injured, according to their employer, Transvalue Inc. of Miami, which specializes in transporting cash, precious metals, gems and jewelry. A Transvalue spokeswoman declined to comment.
The company has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
A woman who saw the guards walking into the road with their hands tied did not feel safe stopping.
"It's dark. It's raining, and they're walking in the middle of the road," she said. "I didn't know what to do."
http://www.turnto10.com/story/28261710/sheriff-gold-heist-may-have-been-inside-job
..................................
Truck Crew Says Carsickness Led to $4.8M Heist of Gold Bars
WILSON, N.C. — Mar 4, 2015, 9:26 PM ET
By JONATHAN DREW Associated Press
(http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/WireAP_191844cb78924524acf2d07faa09a414_16x9_992.jpg)
Wilson County Sheriff's Deputies investigate an area near Interstate 95, Monday, March 2, 2015, in Wilson, N.C. Armed robbers hijacked an armored truck, tied up the two guards and disappeared with 275 pounds of gold bars. (AP Photo/The Wilson Times, Brad Coville)
The Associated Press
The crew of a truck carrying a load of gold bars had just pulled off the interstate in North Carolina when, the two men told police, a seemingly ordinary episode of carsickness turned into a multimillion-dollar heist.
Three days later, authorities said they were suspicious that Sunday's roadside robbery might have been an inside job.
As soon as the guards stopped on the shoulder because one of them wasn't feeling well, three robbers drove up in a cargo van and confronted them at gunpoint, yelling "Policia!" and ordering the crew to lie on the ground. The robbers tied their hands behind their backs and marched them into nearby woods, authorities said.
The thieves then set out orange traffic cones while they gathered up 275 pounds of gold bars worth $4.8 million and fled, leaving the two guards stranded along Interstate 95 as drivers zoomed by.
On Wednesday, authorities released search warrants in which detectives raised questions about the initial accounts of the heist.
"The fact that the truck was robbed immediately upon pulling over at an unannounced stop is suspicious in and of itself," one of the warrants stated, adding that the truck had no external markings indicating the cargo. The warrant said the suspects tried to steal the truck but could not get it started, indicating they did not know how to operate a commercial truck.
At a news conference, Wilson County Sheriff Calvin Woodard said the guards were still considered victims, not suspects, but that all possibilities were being investigated.
Asked to elaborate on the warrants that were filed the day after the heist, the sheriff said the documents were written in a hurry before the victims, who spoke little English, could be thoroughly interviewed in Spanish.
The strange scene unfolded around dusk Sunday in a rural area about 50 miles east of Raleigh.
Earlier in the day, the guards had stopped for gas in Dillon, South Carolina, near the North Carolina line. As they kept driving, one of them started to feel sick and said he smelled gas, Woodard said.
However, after deputies arrived, a mechanic found no problems with the truck, the sheriff said.
The guards got out of the tractor-trailer without their guns, according to the sheriff, who said it was a company security violation to leave the truck without their weapons.
Woodard said that the robbers cut a padlock, but there were no other security measures to stop them.
When the robbers were gone, the guards drew the attention of startled motorists, several of whom called 911 to report seeing uniformed men running into the highway with their hands bound, motioning for help.
"They've got their hands zip-tied behind their backs, and they're out in the road to try to flag people down to call the police," one caller said.
The caller described the scene to the dispatcher and waited in his car for at least 12 minutes for officers to arrive, according to recordings released by Wilson County authorities.
The man told the dispatcher he did not feel safe leaving his vehicle. One of the guards can be heard trying to relate details though his window.
The heist happened hours after the truck left Miami for a town south of Boston.
Neither guard was injured, according to their employer, Miami-based Transvalue Inc., which specializes in transporting cash, precious metals, gems and jewelry. A Transvalue spokeswoman declined to comment.
The company has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Warrants identify the owner of the cargo as Republic Metals Corp. of Opa-locka, Fla. An attorney for the company did not return a telephone call seeking comment late Wednesday.
A woman who saw the guards walking into the road with their hands tied did not feel safe stopping.
"It's dark. It's raining, and they're walking in the middle of the road," she said. "I didn't know what to do."
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/sheriff-gold-heist-armored-truck-suspicious-29388108
...................................
Suspicion surrounds I-95 gold heist as investigation continues
Posted 1:51 p.m. today
Updated 5:41 p.m. today
(http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/news/local/2015/03/04/14490533/14490533-1425499885-300x225.jpg)
Wilson, N.C. — Authorities said Wednesday they are not calling a $4.8 million gold heist near Wilson an "inside job," but they are still investigating all the angles in the bizarre case of two armed guards who were robbed of the precious cargo as they stopped their truck along Interstate 95.
A search warrant indicated that deputies initially thought the crime, which happened Sunday night when the guards pulled over near mile marker 114, was as inside job. But Wilson County Sheriff Calvin Woodard Jr. said that was due to a language barrier because both guards spoke Spanish and only broken English.
Once Spanish-speaking investigators were able to interview the driver and passenger, the chain of events surrounding the heist became more clear, Woodard said. He said the men have been cooperating and remain in Wilson, although they are not in custody.
"We're still uncovering a lot of things because right now, we're unable to say whether it's going to be considered suspicious or not suspicious," Woodard said during a news conference Wednesday. "We're still going to investigate to the fullest and make a determination then."
The drama unfolded about 6:50 p.m. Sunday when witnesses called 911 to report two men who were zip-tied and bound, wandering in the roadway. Deputies arrived within eight minutes and began sorting out what happened.
Driver Yole Gonzalez and his passenger Luiz Mendez told investigators they were on their way from Miami to Massachusetts to deliver a haul of gold bars when they stopped their truck near Wilson because they smelled gasoline and started getting sick. Initial reports indicated they had pulled over because of mechanical problems, but Woodard said no mechanical problems were found when the truck was inspected after the crime.
Mendez exited the vehicle to get some fresh air, the warrants said, As he went around the back and was met by two assailants who spoke Spanish and announced themselves as police, Woodard said. Gonzalez heard the commotion, left the truck and was also confronted by the robbers.
Woodard said both guards were armed but did not have their guns with them when they got out of the truck.
The robbers bound the men, broke a padlock on the back of the truck and stole about 275 pounds in gold bars, each weighing about 25 pounds. Woodard said the lock was "a Master Lock, one that you can purchase out of Lowe's," which might have been used as part of the transport company's security protocol.
Investigators released composite sketches of two of the three robbers. One was described as about 40 years old, heavy and spoke Spanish with a Cuban accent. The other was described as a dark-skinned Hispanic male with a white beard and goatee who wore a black hooded jacket and black combat-style boots.
The guards told investigators they did not get a good look at the third robber, who was the one who broke the lock. The robbers placed orange safety cones around the truck as they off-loaded the bars into a white van, Woodard said. The robbers did not take all of the gold bars that were in the truck.
The guards are employed by TransValue Inc., which according to its website, is a Miami-based company that transports valuables between financial institutions. The company is cooperating with authorities and is offering a $50,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest.
Investigators said it's possible that the truck had been under surveillance since the driver stopped for gas in South Carolina. The company's owner told deputies that had only used the specific travel route once before.
Woodard said investigators have no leads on where the gold bars might be now and have reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI for help. He said the bars are laced with a chemical to help identify them if they are melted down.
When pressed about the possibility that the Gonzlaez and Mendez were somehow involved in the heist, Woodard said all leads will be investigated.
"There's always suspicion," he said. "There's suspicion about everything going on in this case."
He also vowed to keep the public informed.
"There's a lot of other leads that we're following behind, ladies and gentlemen, and we'll definitely make sure that you're made aware of as we get closer to try to unravel what actually happened on the side of I-95," he said.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Wilson County Sheriff's Office at 252-237-2118.
Read more at http://www.wral.com/suspicion-surrounds-i-95-gold-heist-as-investigation-continues/14490335/#qAAgqzCxHwjLKrCZ.99
Would have to be an inside job... transporting gold bars is not done a lot these days