A jewelry courier carrying about $1.5 million in gems was robbed at gunpoint in Queens on Thursday, Jan. 10, The New York Times reported. The police told the newspaper that they believe the crime and six similar thefts in the last two months in the New York borough were the work of one South American gang.

The thieves have preyed on jewelry couriers, most of whom were going to or coming from a building in Sunnyside, Queens, that houses jewelry wholesalers and manufacturers, the newspaper reported.

In the most recent incident, on Thursday at about 6:45 p.m., a courier was surprised by the thieves as he got into his car in front of 71-22 166th Street, Hillcrest, the police told the newspaper. A gunman pressed the muzzle of a pistol against his temple while one of his two accomplices removed two cases from the courier’s car.

JCK