Ohio man indicted for $7 million Brookfield jewelry heist

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An Ohio man has been indicted for stealing more than $7 million worth of jewelry and other valuables from a Brookfield jewelry store in 2016.

A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against James Patrick Quinn, a 55-year-old Ohio man, on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin had charged Quinn for his involvement in the burglary of Treiber & Straub Jewelers in Brookfield.

The complaint said three people in disguises broke into the jewelry store in July 2016, got into its vault and took more than $7 million worth of jewelry, diamonds, watches and other valuables. Officials said Quinn traveled to Wisconsin at least twice to carry out the plan and the returned to Ohio after the burglary.

The three burglars were spotted on surveillance video, despite cutting communication lines and disabling exterior lighting and alarms to avoid getting caught. The complaint said Quinn’s smartphone had placed the device in the Brookfield area hours before the burglary. He also had and tried to hide materials connected to the stolen gemstones, according to federal officials.

The indictment charges Quinn with conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, the transportation of stolen goods, and the sale or receipt of stolen goods. If convicted, he could spend as many as five years in prison for the conspiracy count, as well as ten years’ imprisonment on each of the counts of stolen property.

The FBI and Brookfield Police Department are investigating the matter, with assistance from two Ohio police departments and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The assistant U.S. attorneys Laura Kwaterski and Farris Martini will prosecute the case.