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SALT LAKE CITY -- Police say two jewelry dealers were targeted by a group of robbers at Salt Lake International Airport Thursday afternoon. It was a dramatic string of events that ended with $500,000 worth of jewels stolen.
An airport spokeswoman says two jewelry dealers were getting ready to board a flight out of town and were returning their rental car. They were carrying a large bag full of jewelry.
The victims indicated that the suspects were covered and they knew where to go. So, [it] seems to be they had information about this transaction.
–Barbara Gann, Salt Lake International Airport
Suddenly, two Toyota Camrys pulled up, going the wrong way, and at least five masked men jumped out. They were armed with a knife and took off with the jewels.
Some car rental employees tried to stop the heist and started fighting with the thieves, but the thieves got away.
"The victims indicated that the suspects were covered and they knew where to go. So, [it] seems to be they had information about this transaction," said airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann.
An employee of the rental car company told KSL News the suspects took an unusual way out of the parking area -- one not everyone knows about.
Airport police detectives do not think this crime was random. They believe the two jewelry dealers were targeted and that this was a calculated robbery.
The suspects are still on the loose, and police are trying to locate those two Toyota Camrys -- one black and one silver.
Meanwhile, little information has been released about the victims. KSL News does not know where they were from or where they were headed.
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Story compiled with contributions from Jennifer Stagg and Sarah Dallof.
