A burglary crew stole $1.65+ million from Contra Costa’s most affluent community. And so far, they’ve gotten away with it

A burglary crew stole $1.65+ million from Contra Costa’s most affluent community. And so far, they’ve gotten away with it

Fur coats, jewelry, cash, stolen

By NATE GARTRELL | ngartrell@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: October 16, 2019 at 8:50 am | UPDATED: October 16, 2019 at 8:55 am

DANVILLE — The first burglary happened on Nov. 3, 2016, when a group of bandits snuck into a house in the 4200 block of Silver Meadow Court, in Blackhawk, and made off with $180,000 in jewelry.

The last one happened 12 months later, when they entered a home at nearby Cypress Court around 1 p.m., and took an unknown amount of jewels.

There were 16 burglaries in total. Sometimes the perpetrators stashed the stolen goods or safes in the home’s garbage bin, and rolled it to a getaway car. Other times they acquired a golf cart and drove it through a country club that bordered by the burglarized home, to blend in with their surroundings.

Every time, they got away with it, and they still haven’t been caught.

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The burglary spree, which has not been previously reported on, targeted homes in the section of Contra Costa County with the highest property values: Blackhawk and Danville, where the median home price is well above $1 million and nearly everyone has at least a burglar alarm, if not home security cameras.

Police are still investigating the case; detectives have reviewed security footage, interviewed numerous witnesses and even tried to pinpoint the burglars through GPS. So far, no one has been charged, police said.

The same three people were seen on video in at least five of the burglaries, and police suspect all 16 are related. They typically entered the house through a back sliding glass door, often using a rug or outdoor furniture cushion to muffle the sound of breaking glass. The burglars would then head for the bedrooms, targeting jewelry boxes, safes and clothing drawers for stashes of cash and other valuables, police said.

Most of the burglaries occurred on properties next to the Blackhawk Country Club. The lowest take was $10,000 from one home. The highest single caper amounted to a $500,000 loss, according to court records.

In one June 2017 burglary in the 5400 block of Blackhawk Drive, $215,000 in purses and fur coats were stolen. In another burglary two months later, in the 4500 block of Kingswood Drive, the thieves made off with $500,000 in jewelry, bonds and gold bars stolen from an unlocked safe.

In November 2017, the burglars hit five homes, grabbing with a whopping $265,000 in cash from one residence, $22,000 in jewelry from another and $13,000, as well as a handgun, from a third. In two others, packages were taken, along with an unspecified amount of jewelry.

The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office says anyone with tips on the burglary spree can call the agency’s investigation division at 925-313-2621, email tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

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Sedgwick acquires TPA York Risk Services

Gloria Gonzalez

July 08, 2019  REPRINTS

Sedgwick Claims Management Mergers & Acquisitions TPA

Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. has agreed to acquire fellow top 10 third-party administrator York Risk Services Group Inc. in a transaction expected to close later this year.

Sedgwick will comprise nearly 27,000 staff following the close of the transaction – the terms of which were not disclosed, according to a statement on Monday. York has nearly 5,000 employees in more than 60 offices in the United States and an international presence as well.

“York offers customized claims solutions and has specialized experience to handle even the most complex claims across all liability lines,” Dave North, Sedgwick president and CEO, said in a client bulletin on Monday. “Their offerings notably complement Sedgwick’s existing market capabilities.”’

BofA Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley Senior Funding Inc. have provided committed debt financing for the transaction, which is subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals.

Toronto-based private equity firm Onex Corp. acquired York in 2014 for $1.325 billion.

Sedgwick is the largest TPA with $2.7 billion in gross revenues in 2018 while York is the fifth largest with $800 million in revenues last year, according to the latest Business Insurance rankings.

About 52% of claims handled by York are workers compensation claims, 27% are auto and 10% general liability, according to Business Insurance's 2019 Third-Party Administrators Rankings and Directory.

“Our top priority will always be ensuring that clients’ programs continue to produce outstanding results,” Mr. North said. “Our dedicated colleague teams and trusted technology remain in place to provide those we serve with the exceptional support they expect from Sedgwick. Until the close of the transaction, York will continue conducting business as usual too.”

Sedgwick has made numerous acquisitions over its 50-year history, including Singapore-based loss adjuster Insight Adjusters and Surveyors Pte Ltd. to expand its operations in the region in March.

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