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By: Marshall Ramsey II, Worthy News U.S. Correspondent Source article: http://news.yahoo.com/4-million-gold-stolen-truck-north-carolina-171614803.html $4.8M in gold bars stolen in armored truck heist on highway By MICHAEL BIESECKER RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Shortly after dusk along a lonely stretch of Interstate 95, armed robbers hijacked an armored truck, tied up the two guards and disappeared into the night with 275 pounds of gold bars. The guards working for Transvalue Inc. of Miami reported pulling off to the side of the interstate about 6:30 p.m. Sunday after their vehicle began having mechanical problems in eastern North Carolina, according to the Wilson County Sheriff's Office. The guards told police they were surprised by three armed men driving a white van who ordered the guards to lie on the ground, tied their hands behind their backs and then marched them into nearby woods. (If this were a real surprise heist, the thieves wouldn't have marched the guards into the woods. If this happened, it would have been to kill the guards, which would imply that the guards were known to their assailants. The fact that the guards were handcuffed, marched into the woods, and managed to not get shot suggests that the guards knew their supposed assailants and conspired with them to steal the gold.) The robbers then helped themselves to barrels filled with about $4.8 million in gold before making their getaway. Transvalue said its employees were not injured during the heist. Transvalue chief executive officer Jay Rodriguez said the truck carrying the gold bars left Miami about 4 a.m. Sunday. The load was headed to Attleboro, Massachusetts, a town south of Boston nicknamed "Jewelry City" for the large number of manufacturers based there. "At this time we are working with the authorities to try and resolve this matter," Rodrigez said. "We are offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of these criminals." Though Interstate 95 is one of the busiest roads on the East Coast, the rural stretch where the robbery occurred is relatively isolated, bordered by trees and farms. (It seems more than mere coincidence that the mechanical troubles happened on an isolated section of I-95. While it is possible that there were legitimate mechanical problems and that they happened at that particular spot, given the fact that the guards knew the robbers, it seems more likely that the guards lied about the mechanical problems, which were miraculously fixed locally, even with a receipt for the repairs.) Wilson County Sheriff Calvin Woodard Jr. declined interview requests Monday and did not respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking additional information, such as what weapons the robbers used or how they managed to get the armored truck open. No detailed description of the suspects or their vehicle was released. (Declining interview requests is one thing, but not releasing any identifying information is another. No description of the weapons the robbers used, how they managed to get the armored truck open, no description of the suspects or the vehicles released? The reason Sheriff Woodard is not releasing this information, and refusing to give interviews on this, is that he helped plan and execute the robbery. It appears that the guards involved were previously connected to Sheriff Woodard and contacted him regarding the shipment, at which point Sheriff Woodard, who would have been familiar with the area or scouted it out, suggested the particular location, and perhaps got a local mechanic to forge a repair bill to help cover their tracks.) Shelley Lynch, spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Charlotte field office, said agents are assisting the local sheriff and are working to determine whether a federal crime has been committed. According to its website, Transvalue specialized in transporting cash, precious metals, gems and jewelry in armored trucks. The company says its shipments are insured for up to $100 million. (IF a federal crime has been committed? The theft of $4.8 million in gold is a major theft. According to information at http://www.sg-llp.com/federal-resources-crimes.php, major thefts include the stealing of art, jewelry, and gems. Not only is this a major theft, and a federal crime, it appears to have been planned specifically to announce that it is a federal crime, which indicates that one or more members of the United States government are behind it. While Miss Lynch appears to be involved, it does not appear that she headed up the heist. It appears as though one or more of our elected officials are behind it, as incredible as it may seem.)