A bucket of gold flakes thief was identified by police on Tuesday, weeks after stealing the pail from the back of an armored truck in Midtown Manhattan.
Police have identified a man, Julio Nivelo, as the thief, and said he’s believed to be hiding in Los Angeles, according to The New York Times.
Nivelo is said to have walked about a half-mile carrying the stolen bucket of 86 pounds of gold flakes, which have been valued at $1.6 million.
Nivelo, 53, who is also known as David Vargas among other names, was seen on surveillance footage carrying the bucket before “taking off in a half-run, half-waddle,” according to police.
He was also seen in the video sitting the bucket down to take a breather, the Celebrity Truth noted.
He then picked up the bucket and continued walking before jumping into a van at 49th Street and Third Avenue.
“I think he just saw an opportunity, took the pail and walked off,” NYPD Det. Martin Pastor told NBC 4 New York.
“I think when the lucky charm opened up the bucket, he seen the rainbow and seen the gold,” Pastor said.
WNBC reported that Nivelo fled to Orlando, Fla., before heading to California Tuesday night.
A $100,000 reward is being offered to anyone who has information pertaining to the case.
According to The Associated Press, Nivelo is a career thief from New Jersey and has been arrested and deported back to his home country of Ecuador on several occasions.
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