Philadelphia men face federal charges for allegedly stealing 2 million dimes from truckload of coins

Federal authorities unsealed charges against four men who earlier this year allegedly broke into an unmarked trailer containing 2 million dimes in Philadelphia.

Authorities say that 25-year-old Rakiem Savage, 31-year-old Ronald Byrd, 30-year-old Haneef Palmer and 32-year-old Malik Palmer face conspiracy, robbery, theft of government money and other charges.

Authorities said that the truck filled with dimes was headed from the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia to Miami, Florida when the heist occurred on April 13.

During the night, the driver parked the trailer in a Walmart parking. The thieves broke into it there.

PHILADELPHIA POLICE INVESTIGATING AFTER TRAILER CONTAINING $750K IN DIMES BROKEN INTO A WALMART PARKING LOT

Authorities said that the group made off with a portion of its cargo of $750,000 in dimes, a shipment weighing about six tons.

Police estimate that the group stole $234,500 in dimes from the truck.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that prosecutors say that theft the was part of a spree of robberies from tractor-trailers passing through the region that included the theft of frozen crab legs, shrimp, meat, beer and liquor.

WATCH: NEW FOOTAGE OF PHILADELPHIA LOOTERS RANSACKING PHARMACIES, GAS STATION WITH ARMLOADS OF STOLEN GOODS

Detectives said at the time that surveillance video showed six men, dressed in gray hoodies and armed with bolt cutters, approaching the truck in the middle of the night and breaking into it, then loading the coins into smaller bags and into a waiting truck.

The indictment unsealed Friday alleges that after the theft, thousands of dimes were converted into cash at coin machines in Maryland or through deposits to at least four different suburban Philadelphia banks, the newspaper reported.

 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.