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I’m just going to say it—if I leave my sunglasses in the car, I spend the whole day wondering if they’re gone. So when I heard a New Jersey man left $400k in diamonds sitting in a rental car while hitting up a Florida buffet, I just about choked on my lunch.

Rajesh Jain, a diamond wholesaler, had business in Florida and, as part of his day, scooped up a cool $400,000 worth of cut diamonds. You’d think something that valuable would get VIP treatment—safes, secure cases, you know the drill. Instead, he tossed them into a red Swiss Army duffel bag and rolled on.

Around 7 p.m., he stopped for a bite at Sweet Tomatoes, a family-friendly buffet joint in Orlando. He parked, locked the car, but left the bag with the fortune in diamonds in the back seat. Oh, and the GPS was suctioned right to the windshield—basically an engraved invitation for a break-in.

Fifteen minutes into dinner, he started feeling anxious (and for good reason). So he went outside to check on the car. Sure enough, someone had tried to get in: “The front driver side window had been cracked with an unknown tool, but police say it was not enough to enter the car,” according to ClickOrlando. But when Jain opened the door? You guessed it—the duffel and the diamonds were gone. The thief didn’t even bother taking the GPS. Talk about focused.

Jain immediately called the cops, telling them, “I lost everything.” Can you imagine the pit in your stomach?

Now, Orlando Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jim Young made it clear they’re covering all angles. “We’re not going to rule anything out, in any case, and we’re going to look at every option.” Translation: either someone got very lucky, or this whole thing might be a planned heist. Or worse—a potential fraud. That’s right, detectives have to consider that Jain’s report might not be all it seems. And you can’t really blame them for being suspicious—people don’t just forget half a million dollars in bling while grabbing some salad bar.

Jain is now offering a reward for the diamonds, but I’ve gotta say, I feel bad for the guy. Sure, it was careless, but that’s a $400k lesson in paying attention. Most of us lose a pair of sunglasses or misplace our phone. But this? This is the kind of mistake that makes you rethink your whole buffet strategy.

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Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.