Thieves armed with pickaxes rob California museum of $2 million in precious gems

The California State Mining & Mineral Museum in Mariposa, CA. / parks.ca.gov

SAN FRANCISCO, CA. California investigators searched Monday for thieves who made off with an estimated $2 million in precious gems and gold from a mining museum in the Sierra Nevada foothills during a brazen daytime robbery.

But they didn't get away with the biggest prize of all - the nearly 14-pound Fricot Nugget, a giant crystalline gold mass unearthed in the Gold Rush era.

During their attempt to grab the massive nugget, the robbers triggered an alarm that alerted authorities who swarmed the museum but were unable to nab the thieves.

At least two robbers wearing hoods and armed with pickaxes threatened workers during the heist Friday at the California Mining and Minerals Museum in Mariposa, the California Highway Patrol said.

No suspects have been identified.

The two museum employees who were onsite during the crime were not injured, but they remained shaken from the experience, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, which operates the facility, said in a news release.

Officials have closed the museum while they repair display cases and other items damaged by the robbers. Meanwhile, the parks department was busy conducting an inventory of the stolen items.

The heist was more bad news for the beleaguered museum, which is home to more than 13,000 artifacts. It was previously on a state list of facilities being considered for closure to help save money.

Authorities said the unique pieces taken would be easily identified, which could make it difficult for the robbers to sell them.

"It is uncommon for most citizens to possess such minerals," the CHP said in a statement.

It was the second heist this year of rare, valuable metals in Northern California. In February, thieves made off with large chunks of gold that were on display in a Siskiyou County courthouse.

Investigators were trying to determine if there is a connection between the two heists.

[TimeToEvolve]

This is peanuts compared to what the slimy, corrupt corporations steal every day from Americans. The Wall Street Banksters got rich deleting $10 trillion dollars in our retirement funds and NO ONE went to jail. The heads of the American corporations are the real criminals. They are the real enemies of America.

[WillieJenkins666]

It is California so I'd assume the only one with weapons were the criminals.

[TimeToEvolve]

Maybe the last sane state in America. Finally banishing the obsolete and failed Republicon Party of the Top 1% to the trash heap of history.

[baileycccc]

Sweet Dreams are made of this...............

[jeannutson]

The rising spate of such major stealing operations in unsuspecting and major public and corporate places could be linked in part to the harsh economic climate resulting into people finding alternative but more risky means of survival.

[dianam1001]

museum with that amount of precious metals ha Frick and Frack guarding it? Where are their guns? ANd the highway patrol, let them get away? Sounds like a job or Inspector Gadget.

[ElizabethVanDeusen]

If you knew how poor our state is, and in particular this county (where this museum was a source of pride amongst very humble people), you wouldn't be so glib. These minerals belong to the people of California and our part of our state's historical heritage. The museum has been maintained this way for a long time because most people in California aren't utter slime and many of us respect what belongs to our larger community. For what it's worth, that's still true, even after this happened. If they ever find these criminals, I hope they let us publicly flog the bastards before sending them to one of our very choice, overcrowded, state prisons...to remind people who don't respect their fellow citizens that there will be hell to pay when you screw over 37 million other people.