Tiffany Security Chief Among 6 Held in Holdup of Jeweler
A security supervisor accused of masterminding an inside job was one of six people arrested Saturday in the $1.9-million Tiffany’s heist--the worst robbery in the world-renowned jewelers’ 157-year history.
The sixth suspect, Mark Klass, walked into a police precinct to surrender Saturday night and handed over most of the jewelry, said Sgt. Joseph Gallagher, a police department spokesman.
The arrests came just six days after the robbery, which police had praised as “exceptional” work by well-prepared criminals. The bandits made off with 457 necklaces, bracelets, watches and rings.
“We were shocked,” Tiffany’s Chairman William R. Chaney said Saturday. “We didn’t think it could happen.”
While the robbery was professional, attempts to fence the jewelry were comical. Manhattan Chief of Detectives John Hill said one suspect sold a $6,000 gold bracelet for $300 on a Harlem street; another was trying to sell the stolen jewelry in Times Square.
An anonymous tipster who told police about the fencing attempts may get a $50,000 reward if the suspects are convicted, Hill said.
“Rather than go from the head down, this time we went from the tail up,” Hill said at a news conference.
Police believe the plan was cooked up three weeks ago by Scott Jackson, a security supervisor at the 5th Avenue store for the past five years, Hill said.
Jackson recruited his cousins, Derrick Jackson and Klass, as the gunmen and persuaded another Tiffany’s guard, Mark Bascom, to join in the heist, Hill said.
Police arrested the four and two other men accused of trying to sell the stolen jewelry.
The robbers were so sure of their scheme that they pulled the robbery without wearing anything to cover their faces, police said.
A tipster led police to bike messenger Theodore Johnson, who lived in the same building as Derrick Jackson. Johnson was allegedly trying to sell the expensive jewelry near Times Square.
Tiffany’s initially thought about 300 items worth about $1.25 million were stolen. But a more complete inventory showed that 457 items worth $1.9 million were taken.