Background
Vera Krupp was an American Baroness who was the original
owner of the 33 carat diamond. She married a wealthy German Industrialist, Alfried Krupp, who gave her the diamond. She was a very famous actress in the 1950's. The men who stole the diamond, John William Hagenson and James Reeves, originally came in to Vera Krupp's house because they told her they could pave her driveway. She ended up letting them in and they stole the ring very aggressively, drawing blood in the process. They soon tied her and the foreman together using a lamp and also stole a revolver and $700,000. As soon as they got untied they went to the police to report the incident. A few weeks later, an FBI agent heard that a grocer was trying to sell the large diamond and tracked down James Reeves. The diamond was found in the lining of a coat and two smaller diamonds on the ring was later found at a jeweler in St. Louis. The men were found guilty and sent to jail but Hagenson, the mastermind, was let out on an appeal. After the ring was returned and Vera Krupp passed away, Elizabeth Taylor's husband purchased the ring for $307,000. In 2011, when Taylor passed away, the ring was auctioned off for an astounding $8,818,500.
owner of the 33 carat diamond. She married a wealthy German Industrialist, Alfried Krupp, who gave her the diamond. She was a very famous actress in the 1950's. The men who stole the diamond, John William Hagenson and James Reeves, originally came in to Vera Krupp's house because they told her they could pave her driveway. She ended up letting them in and they stole the ring very aggressively, drawing blood in the process. They soon tied her and the foreman together using a lamp and also stole a revolver and $700,000. As soon as they got untied they went to the police to report the incident. A few weeks later, an FBI agent heard that a grocer was trying to sell the large diamond and tracked down James Reeves. The diamond was found in the lining of a coat and two smaller diamonds on the ring was later found at a jeweler in St. Louis. The men were found guilty and sent to jail but Hagenson, the mastermind, was let out on an appeal. After the ring was returned and Vera Krupp passed away, Elizabeth Taylor's husband purchased the ring for $307,000. In 2011, when Taylor passed away, the ring was auctioned off for an astounding $8,818,500.
Vera Krupp James Reeves