Four California residents were indicted by a federal grand jury in on Tuesday for their alleged participation in the robberies of two jewelry salesmen in the Kansas City area, says local television news operation, KMBC.

Manuel Gutierrez, 23, and Jimmy Morales, 22, were accused of following a traveling salesmen from Tivol, a Plaza jewelry store, to an airport gas station in July. The pair stole $750,000 worth of jewels from the victim, the indictment alleges.

Two accused thieves, 23-year-old Edwin Perdomo and 37-year-old Catalina Palacios, were indicted in a separate but similar crime.

Authorities allege Perdomo traveled to the Kansas City area in March 2003 to follow and rob a traveling jewelry salesman who was conducting business in Overland Park, Kan. The salesman was robbed in a parking lot at knifepoint. The thief got away with more than $658,000 worth of jewels. According to the indictment, Perdomo intended to provide the stolen goods to Palacios for resale.

The office of U.S. Attorney Todd Graves, which announced the indictments, did not say whether any of the stolen jewels had been recovered.

JCK