SALT LAKE CITY — Two jewelry salesman who were preparing to leave Salt Lake City were robbed of an estimated $500,000 worth of jewels at a rental car office at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Thursday.
Investigators believe the salesmen were targeted and the attack was not random.
About 4:15 p.m., two salesman were returning a rental car at the bottom of the short-term parking garage at the airport before departing on a flight, said airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann. They were approached a short time later by at least five men, one of whom was armed with a knife. The men attacked the salesmen and a couple Enterprise Car employees noticed what appeared to be a robbery and joined in the scuffle trying to stop the men. The assailants succeeded in fleeing with the jewels in two separate vehicles, a black and a silver Toyota Camry, Gann said.
At least one of the salesmen suffered minor injuries with a scrape wound by the knife, she said.
Few other details about the heist were known Thursday afternoon. Gann said airport surveillance video was being reviewed. Officials were not releasing descriptions of the men but said the men were covering their heads and faces.
A Salt Lake Valley-wide law enforcement effort is following leads and searching for the men. Officials are also in the process of interviewing the victims.
There have been several jewelry heists in Utah in recent years, including:
April 16, 2008 — A jewelry broker was robbed at gunpoint by four men who got away with $150,000 in diamonds.
June 19, 2007 — Two gunmen robbed a New York jewelry salesman in Provo.
March 13, 2007 — A New Jersey jewelry salesman was stabbed in the hands in the parking lot of an Orem hotel by men who fought him for his bag filled with jewels.
Jan. 23, 2007 — A California jewelry salesman was accosted by three men outside an American Fork Kohl's store, where they stole his rolling bag of jewels.
Jan. 10, 2007 — Thieves pulled up next to a salesman outside a Murray Holiday Inn Express and demanded his briefcase containing diamonds. They slashed one of his car tires before leaving.
Dec. 13, 2006 — A jewelry store owner was shot by two men who approached him as he carried a bag of jewelry to his car. The bullet grazed his chin.
Nov. 9, 2006 — A New York salesman leaving his Orem hotel was accosted by a man who grabbed his bags full of jewelry and cash.
Aug. 8, 2006 — A California salesman was pushed to the ground while walking toward an Orem hotel and robbed of his jewelry bags.
May 17, 2006 — Two men with a gun robbed an Israeli jewelry salesman of nearly $200,000 worth of jewelry in the parking lot of his Murray hotel.
Contributing: Lana Groves, Jennifer Stagg
e-mail: preavy@desnews.com