Profile

Name: East Coast Gate Cutters Crew
Sex: Male
Race: Unknown
Height: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair): Unknown
Eyes (Color and Correction): Unknown
Wanted for: Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property
Burglary, Albany, NY

Locations

Last seen: New York The gang has been suspected of robberies in 12 states on the East Coast, from New Hampshire to Florida.
Possible location: Unkown
Last known: Unkown

Traits

Operating in a group of four or five, the Gate Cutters usually wear hooded sweatshirts.
One man serves as a lookout, while the others take the goods.

Case Story

Gate Cutters Bolt with $5.1 MIllion In Jewelry

With a painstaking, regimented routine, the East Coast Gate Cutters Crew has made off with some $5.1 million worth of stolen goods since April 2003. Their rampage of 57 stores includes hits in a dozen states from New Hampshire to Florida. Authorities say the crew's hits generally go something like this: a group of four or five men break into a mall jewelry store just after closing or right before opening. By cutting the metal roll gates on the store front with bolt cutters, the thieves can easily break in to snatch the goods. This method of breaking and entering gave them their moniker.

Choosy Thieves With Specific Tastes

While one of the Crew stands outside as a lookout, the crooks inside only grab gold men's jewelry. Feds say that so far, the Gate Cutters have ripped off scores of gold rings, bracelets, chains and pricey Movado watches. Their specific tastes have had a lot of officials speculating, especially since right next to stolen goods lie expensive jewelry with diamonds and rubies. But authorities think that the robbers only take what they can easily sell to someone waiting for the goods.  These disciplined crooks don't even go after the store safe. In no more than four minutes, the thieves take their fill and drive off in a van or sports utility vehicle.

Efficient And Gutsy

At each robbery, the crooks make sure to tamper with security equipment, like slashing the tires on guard vehicles, putting super-glue in car door locks or vandalizing security systems. The Gate Cutters have been at it since their first heist in April 2003, but now the crew is getting more brazen and have even allowed their faces to be seen on surveillance cameras. Their escape methods have also progressed, and agents say they've tripped up mall security guards by putting a slippery substance near security exits. Police say the Crew has hit jewelry stores in a dozen states: Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia. The FBI and state and local authorities in a dozen states are working together, hoping to finally put the Crew behind bars that they won't be able to cut through.