Manhattan man makes off with $1.6m of gold flakes in a bucket
Street footage shows thief bide his time before stealing from the unattended truck in New York City
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.CCTV footage shows the moment a man snatched a bucket of gold worth nearly $1.6 million from an unattended lorry in broad daylight.
The theft occurred in Manhattan, New York on 29 September, as the middle-aged man made off with a bucket containing 86 pounds of gold flakes.
One of the simplest heists imaginable, the thief can be seen assessing the situation befopre swiping the bucket of gold as two guards were in a nearby building for a pickup, according to police.
The truck was parked on West 48th Street and is operated by Loomis International, a company that transports valuables.
Police state the suspect most likely did not know what was in the five-gallon bucket, with footage showing him walking away swiftly and putting the bucket down a little way up the street, taking a brief break from carrying it.
86 pounds is equivalent to just under 40 kilograms of the precious metal.
The thief reportedly took an hour to travel what is usually a ten-minute walk away from the crime scene.
The suspect, who is now said to be hiding in Florida, is estimated to be about five foot six inches tall, weighing around 150 pounds and in his 50s.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments