Jewels that would be worth millions today were scooped up in twin burglaries in Los Angeles in 1961. Could it have been George Dordigan, a man who enjoyed the finer things in life, someone said to be the kept man of a local doctor, a man who also happens to be the author’s grandfather? Intriguing, no? But after reading this piece, you may just think that Dordigan and his involvement in the heists are not the most interesting elements of the story.
Now it’s my turn to explain that in the early ’90s, my grandfather told me a crazy story about hiding some jewels in a beach cave. I didn’t ask questions, chalking it up to another of his wild adventures. I had no idea the magnitude of the secret I’d uncovered until I brought up the story to my great aunt, his sister, after he died in 2011—and she told me he’d stolen the jewels. After years of extensive research, I learned that my grandfather planned the carefully executed robberies, enlisting the help of his brother-in-law, Elbert Houghton, and a friend of theirs, Francis “Kiha” Kinney, who was known for being a safe cracker. Though the link between them hasn’t been proven, it seems likely that Buzz—intentionally or not—helped the crew get into the Kirkeby home and make off with the loot.
More picks about crime
Death by Duxelles
“This was a story of culinary disguise, of meat concealed in dough and murder masquerading as lunch.”
The House on West Clay Street
“Tabatha Pope thought she’d finally found an affordable place to live. It was the beginning of a nightmare.”
Poison Pill
“Is the killer behind the 1982 Tylenol poisonings still on the loose? Exclusive revelations by investigators yield the first authoritative account of what happened and who likely did it.”
