The trailer for ‘The Jewel Thief’ is finally out, and the new documentary series is based on the life and crimes of Gerald Blanchard. The series will be airing on July 13 on the streaming platform Hulu.
‘The Jewel Thief’ is directed by Landon Van Soest and stars the infamous jewel thief, Gerald Blanchard himself. The series is produced by Submarine Deluxe Productions in association with Transient Pictures.
The trailer showcases how a young Gerald entered the world of crime by stealing, then counterfeiting, to full-on money heists. His Mother was the most surprised to know of her Nerdy Son’s double life. Insights were provided by Gerald, his family members, and the officers who investigated his case.
Who is Gerald Blanchard?
Gerald Blanchard is an infamous name in the realm of International Crimes. Born in Canada, in 1972, he is most renowned for stealing the Star of Empress Sisi, one of the diamond and pear ornaments worn by the Empress of Austria, Elisabeth of Bavaria. He successfully replaced the original with a souvenir.
He began his criminal career in the early 1990s, specializing in counterfeiting money. He also engaged in other petty crimes like credit card fraud, identity theft, robbery, etc. His crimes went beyond the borders of Canada and soon he found himself committing robberies all over the globe.
Gerald Blanchard was different from other criminals, in a sense, he made use of computers and technology which was relatively new during those times. He formed a group with other associates and targeted luxury jewelry stores and stealing gems worth millions of dollars.
However, cops soon came knocking on his door and he was finally caught in 2008. He was arrested in the Dominican Republic and extradited to Canada to face multiple charges. The Canadian however received a lighter sentence in exchange for giving up information on the stolen valuables, including the Star of Empress Sisi.
After being released from prison in 2010, he started his career as a security consultant, quite ironic indeed.
Source- The Wired
