“They had expertise that allowed them to compromise security systems at these locations by cutting off phone lines that connected jewelry stores with security counterparts.”Īdditionally, Chan said, the enterprise employed “cellphone jammers that would prevent cell-tower communications” from the targets to alarm companies. “This burglary crew was incredibly sophisticated,” Chan told the court. (Lacka Safe has since been sold, and the owners did not respond to requests for comment.)
Heist hair salon texas code#
At the time, anonymous sources told The Post that a drug-addicted employee of Lacka Safe Company - which manufactured the safe used at KGK - spilled the code to the criminals. Surveillance footage reportedly shows one on a cellphone or walkie-talkie, seemingly being told the code for the diamond wholesaler’s safe.Īfter the heist, which yielded some $6 million in rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces, there was speculation by law-enforcement sources about how it went down. Two members did the heavy lifting on that job, and sources said they broke into KGK through a freight entrance, using a sledgehammer and crowbar to gain entry.
The source said the thieves craftily “lay in wait until the ball dropped.” The robbers timed their crime to go down as thousands of police officers were occupied with the celebratory scene in nearby Times Square, a law-enforcement source previously told The Post. The sixth-floor jewel merchant was allegedly infiltrated by Pejcinovic, Bojkovic, Cirikovic and an unidentified accomplice at one minute after midnight. KGK Jewelers on 70 West 36th street was one of the thiefs’ main targets. The target was KGK Jewelers, which also includes diamond dealer Gregg Ruth, on West 36th Street. members could fit that description as well,” the prosecutor claimed.Īmong the group’s last confirmed heists was a hit that came barely minutes into New Year’s Day in 2017, according to the US Attorney’s Office. “And if the crew needed people who had expertise in security systems and phone systems and disabling security systems. There were also members skilled at jamming police radios, disabling alarm systems and cutting off phone lines. No target appeared off limits, although Pejcinovic and the crew seemed to have a special penchant: Of the 16 alleged crimes detailed in a document from the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office, 13 related to jewel merchants.Ĭleverly, the crew, dubbed the Pejcinovic Enterprise, focused on lesser-known operators, according to authorities - places that kept millions of dollars in precious stones on hand.Ĭarefully strategizing each heist and exploiting every possible weakness, the gang resembled a real-life “Ocean’s Eleven,” complete with high-tech equipment and a thief on call for every occasion, according to prosecutor Andrew Ken-Wei Chan of the US Attorney’s Office.ĭuring Pejcinovic’s initial hearing at a US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Chan revealed that the organization included “people with acrobatic abilities” for climbing onto rooftops or scaling buildings.“They had members of the group who were incredibly strong” and could muscle their way past walls, according to Chan. Its members are charged with the commission of burglaries and interstate transportation and sale of stolen goods.Īlleged victims included the owners of banks, jewelry stores and at least one restaurant. That’s why it took so long to be caught.”īut after a lengthy investigation, the FBI-NYPD Joint Violent Crimes Task Force brought the alleged operation to justice. These guys are not flashy they are quiet.”Īs for the members’ work ethic, the source added, “As much time as you spend thinking about your job, they spend as much, if not more, thinking about theirs. Plus, the source said, “it gives you a certain fraternal discipline. were also rounded up.Ī source with knowledge of organized jewel thefts told The Post, “They are probably former Eastern Bloc military.” Such a background could provide the kind of training that comes in handy for breaking and entering. Three of Pejcinovic’s alleged accomplices - Gzimi “Jimbo” Bojkovic and Adrian Fiseku, both of Staten Island, and Elvis “Gorilla” Cirikovic, of Waterbury, Conn. He is charged with masterminding a robbery ring that, since 2006, had allegedly stolen more than $10 million in jewels and cash in 16 robberies committed in cities ranging from New York to Portland, Ore., and as far as Frankfurt, Germany.
24, 2018, FBI agents showed up at the home and arrested Pejcinovic. Jewel thief escapes ‘mind-boggling heist’ - because Van Damme was nearbyīut at around dawn on Oct. Jewel thief gets five years for 'audacious' $5.7M diamond heist Wild video shows stool-wielding hero chase off Bronx jewel thieves Ringleader of $13M jewelery heist crew sentenced to 8 years in prison