Accused International Jewel Thief Lands in Missoula
When you hear the terms 'international jewel thief,' what do you think of first?
For me, it would be Ocean's Eleven. Or maybe even James Bond. Or even Tom Cruise dangling upside down from a ceiling in Mission: Impossible while desperately trying to avoid stepping on laser beams.
However, what did not immediately come to my mind was a jewel heist at Southgate Mall in Missoula.
An International Jewel Thief...in Missoula?
Prosecutors report that 44-year-old Romanian woman Marioara Munteanu allegedly stole a diamond worth about $28,000 from a jewelry store located at Southgate Mall in 2022.
Munteanu made an appearance in Missoula County District Court last week after she was apprehended with a warrant related to the case. Munteanu is currently being prosecuted on a charge of felony theft. According to reports from the Missoulian, she is described as an alleged international jewelry thief who has allegedly stolen items in multiple foreign countries and multiple states in the U.S.
This Sounds Like a Movie
I'm still stuck on the term "international jewel thief." That's a job that should not exist in real life outside of movies. Tuxedos. British accents. Lasers. Perhaps someone rappels into your store via a skylight.
Instead, prosecutors say this particular story brought an alleged international jewel thief to a mall in Missoula, Montana.
I have so many questions.
Were Missoula and Montana specifically targeted? Was Montana just another stop for the alleged international jewel thief? Was there an intricate plan for escaping by using a Subaru Outback?
Ocean's Eleven: Missoula Edition
I've heard some wild crime stories about Missoula over time. But this one has them all. An alleged international jewel thief.
A $28,000 diamond. Countries other than the United States. The state of Montana. Somehow, Southgate Mall got woven into this alleged international jewel thieves story line.
If Hollywood makes a movie out of this, I hope they give Missoula its due respect.
