$80,000 in Gold Coins Bought a Few Hours Earlier Stolen From Locked Car

A thief stole more than $80,000 in gold coins from a man who had just purchased the collectors’ items at a coin show, sheriff’s deputies said.

Hyung Lee, 44, told deputies that the coins were taken from his locked car Friday afternoon during the 10 minutes he left it parked at the intersection of Western Avenue and 148th Street, Deputy Hal Grant said. Lee had purchased 1,500 gold coins from countries around the world, worth $80,000 to $100,000, at a coin show at the Los Angeles Convention Center earlier in the day.

Deputies have not determined how the thief knew the coins were inside Lee’s car but are investigating to see if the coin dealer was followed from the Convention Center, Grant said.