432: Larry Lawton | From Jewel Thief to Honorary Cop Part One

Planning

Larry Lawton's meticulous planning of jewelry heists involved selecting targets in busy plazas with grocery stores, allowing him to blend in while conducting surveillance. He would enter stores posing as a wealthy buyer to assess the value and security of the merchandise. Larry explains, "I can pretty much give you a good estimate of how much that box is going to be worth to me" 1. His reconnaissance included noting the placement of security cameras, employee routines, and hidden safes, ensuring he knew every detail before executing a heist 2.

   

Execution

Executing a heist required precision and avoiding detection. Larry emphasized the importance of planning and having a clear getaway strategy, contrasting his methods with the chaotic smash-and-grab tactics of less professional thieves. He noted, "The professional is the guy that's doing it for a living, the guy that says, 'Wait, I'm raising a family on this. I got to know what I'm doing'" 3. Larry also shared tips for business owners to prevent robberies, such as using double-way mirrors and offsite video monitoring to deter criminals 4.