The Mansion, the Heiress, the Jewel Heist, and Me: A Bel-Air Fairytale
April 10, 2026 at 08:33PMJewels 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.
from Longreads https://longreads.com/2026/04/10/jewel-heist-vanity-fair/
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