Miami heist: $800,000 in diamonds stolen

updated 11:20 p.m. ET July 15, 2004

MIAMI - Ten masked gunmen beat and robbed two Israeli salesmen of more than $800,000 in diamonds Thursday during a well-organized daytime robbery at a gas station, police said.

The salesmen had finished pumping gas into their car Thursday morning when their exit was blocked by a Ford Mustang, a pickup truck and a van. Ten men climbed out of the vehicles holding weapons and wearing masks and surrounded the salesmen’s car, Miami police said.

Some of the robbers smashed the car’s windows, dragged the salesmen out and began beating them, police said.

The gunmen took several items from the car, including wallets, watches, jewelry and the cache of diamonds before escaping in the pickup and the van.

The New York-based salesmen, identified as Efrain Sade, 39, and Shai Barbi, 30, were traveling around Florida delivering diamonds to businesses. They had just made a delivery in downtown Miami and were heading to Fort Lauderdale’s airport when the heist took place, police said.

Miami police’s robbery unit was investigating.

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