On 18 February 2013, eight masked gunmen in two cars with police markings stole approximately US$50,000,000 (€38,000,000, £33,000,000) worth of diamonds from a Swiss-bound Fokker 100 operated by Helvetic Airways on the apron at Brussels Airport, Belgium, just before 20:00 CET.[1][2][3] The heist was accomplished without a shot being fired.[1]
The robbers hid in a construction site outside the airport prior to the robbery.[2] They were armed with Kalashnikov-type assault rifles and dressed as police officers.[1] Entering the airport through a hole they created in the airport security fence, the robbers drove on the property with two vehicles, a Mercedes van and an Audi, both of which were black with flashing blue police lights.[1][2] They drove straight to the airplane where the gems were being transferred from a Brink'sarmored van, which had driven from Antwerp, onto the Fokker 100 twin engine jet Swiss Flight LX789, which was bound for Zurich.[1][2][4]
The time between the loading procedure and the moment the plane started to move to take off would only have lasted 15 minutes according to Caroline De Wolf, a spokeswoman for the Antwerp World Diamond Centre.[4] De Wolf stated that the window for opportunity was so small that the perpetrators must have known ahead of time about the transfer procedures and timing.[4]
The robbers stopped the plane then brandished their guns, stopping the pilots and transport security.[2] The Brussels prosecutors' office described the weapons used as "like Kalashnikovs", most likely the Galil.[4] The robbers never dropped their weapons.[1][2] The robbers loaded 130 bags into their cars and drove off, but left behind some gems in their hurry.[1][2][4]
The whole robbery took about 3 minutes.[5] The robbery did not appear to disturb any of the passengers,[1] who did not know that anything had happened until they were told to disembark because the flight had been cancelled.[4] The van believed to be used in the robbery was later found abandoned and burned.[1][4]
In May 2013, 31 people were arrested in connection with the theft, and some of the diamonds were recovered.[6] Charges were brought against 19 of those (16 men and 3 women).[7] In contrast to the clockwork execution of the robbery, the arrests came as a result of mistakes made when the suspects tried to sell the stolen goods. Pascal Pont, a Swiss real estate agent, was given a large sack of diamonds from his friend Marc Bertoldi, a luxury car dealer from the French Riviera,[8] whose car was discovered in the vicinity of the robbery. Pont was investigated for his relationship with Bertoldi, and by monitoring his phone calls, police uncovered Pont's unsuccessful attempts to fence the diamonds in Geneva, which is not a city known for its diamond trade.[9][10]
The trial was scheduled to begin in September 2017, but it was delayed because Bertoldi was serving a sentence in a French prison for kidnapping and could not be extradited.[11][12] Bertoldi admitted to having received diamonds stolen in the robbery, but denied any involvement.[13]
In May 2018, 18 of those tried in connection to the heist were acquitted. The case against Bertoldi, the suspected mastermind, was yet to be heard,[14] pending the outcome of his appeal over his kidnapping conviction.[15]
In June 2019, the correctional tribunal of Brussels sentenced Bertoldi to five years of imprisonment and a fine for being a co-conspirator in the heist, for being part of a criminal organisation and for money laundering. The tribunal did not consider him to be the mastermind behind the heist however, contrary to the prosecutor.[16]
Reaction
Belgian prosecutor Ine Van Wymersch [nl] said the robbers "were very, very professional".[4] French airport security consultant Doron Levy said that he was "certain this was an inside job", adding the heist was "incredibly audacious and well organized" and that big jobs like that were often so well organized that the robbers "probably know the employees by name".[4]
^ abcdefghiChrisafis, Angelique (19 February 2013). "Diamond heist at Brussels airport nets gang up to £30m in gems". The Guardian. from the original on 20 September 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
^ abcdefgCasert, Raf (19 February 2013). . Associated Press. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
^"Brussels diamond robbery nets 'gigantic' haul". BBC. 19 February 2013. from the original on 19 February 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
^ abcdefghiHiggins, Andrew (19 February 2013). "Brazen Jewel Robbery at Brussels Airport Nets $50 Million in Diamonds". The New York Times. from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
^"#85. De diamantroof op Zaventem: "Op 3 minuten tijd was 37 miljoen euro weg" / De Stemmen van Assisen – DS Podcast". De Standaard. Retrieved Feb 17, 2023.
^"Arrests over $50m diamond heist". BBC News. 2013-05-08. from the original on 2016-02-26. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
^Graff, Michelle (2016-01-03). "19 to Stand Trial in $50M Airport Diamond Heist". National Jeweler. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
^Paterson, Tony (2013-05-10). "Luxury car dealer from Cote d'Azur under arrest over £30m airport". The Independent. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
^Paterson, Tony (2013-06-18). "Jewel heist ends in farce amid bungled attempts to sell gems". Tweed Daily News. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
^Hope, Alan (2017-08-28). "Diamond heist trial delayed as chief suspect is in prison in France". Flanders Today. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
^"8 years in prison and 300,000 euro fine in abduction case". Luxembourg Times. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
^"Suspects behind daring Helvetic diamond heist could face eight years in prison". The Local. 2018-02-05. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
^Casert, Raf (2018-05-17). "18 Acquitted in Massive Brussels Airport 2013 Diamond Heist". U.S. News & World Report. Associated Press. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
^McNally, Paul (2017-09-11). "2018 date set for Brussels Airport diamond heist trial". The Bulletin. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
^Verhaeghe, Chris (27 June 2019). "Franse gangster Marc Bertoldi veroordeeld als mededader van diamantroof Zaventem" [French gangster Marc Bertoldi sentenced as co-conspirator in Zaventem diamond heist]. www.vrt.be (in Dutch). VRT NWS. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
February 18, 2023
brussels, airport, diamond, heist, february, 2013, eight, masked, gunmen, cars, with, police, markings, stole, approximately, worth, diamonds, from, swiss, bound, fokker, operated, helvetic, airways, apron, brussels, airport, belgium, just, before, heist, acco. On 18 February 2013 eight masked gunmen in two cars with police markings stole approximately US 50 000 000 38 000 000 33 000 000 worth of diamonds from a Swiss bound Fokker 100 operated by Helvetic Airways on the apron at Brussels Airport Belgium just before 20 00 CET 1 2 3 The heist was accomplished without a shot being fired 1 Brussels Airport diamond heistBrussels Airport runwayDate18 February 2013Time19 40 CET estimated LocationBrussels Airport BelgiumCoordinates50 54 5 N 4 29 4 E 50 90139 N 4 48444 E 50 90139 4 48444 Coordinates 50 54 5 N 4 29 4 E 50 90139 N 4 48444 E 50 90139 4 48444ParticipantsEight masked menOutcomeApproximately US 50 000 000 in gems stolen Contents 1 Robbery 2 Reaction 3 See also 4 ReferencesRobbery EditThe robbers hid in a construction site outside the airport prior to the robbery 2 They were armed with Kalashnikov type assault rifles and dressed as police officers 1 Entering the airport through a hole they created in the airport security fence the robbers drove on the property with two vehicles a Mercedes van and an Audi both of which were black with flashing blue police lights 1 2 They drove straight to the airplane where the gems were being transferred from a Brink s armored van which had driven from Antwerp onto the Fokker 100 twin engine jet Swiss Flight LX789 which was bound for Zurich 1 2 4 The time between the loading procedure and the moment the plane started to move to take off would only have lasted 15 minutes according to Caroline De Wolf a spokeswoman for the Antwerp World Diamond Centre 4 De Wolf stated that the window for opportunity was so small that the perpetrators must have known ahead of time about the transfer procedures and timing 4 The robbers stopped the plane then brandished their guns stopping the pilots and transport security 2 The Brussels prosecutors office described the weapons used as like Kalashnikovs most likely the Galil 4 The robbers never dropped their weapons 1 2 The robbers loaded 130 bags into their cars and drove off but left behind some gems in their hurry 1 2 4 The whole robbery took about 3 minutes 5 The robbery did not appear to disturb any of the passengers 1 who did not know that anything had happened until they were told to disembark because the flight had been cancelled 4 The van believed to be used in the robbery was later found abandoned and burned 1 4 In May 2013 31 people were arrested in connection with the theft and some of the diamonds were recovered 6 Charges were brought against 19 of those 16 men and 3 women 7 In contrast to the clockwork execution of the robbery the arrests came as a result of mistakes made when the suspects tried to sell the stolen goods Pascal Pont a Swiss real estate agent was given a large sack of diamonds from his friend Marc Bertoldi a luxury car dealer from the French Riviera 8 whose car was discovered in the vicinity of the robbery Pont was investigated for his relationship with Bertoldi and by monitoring his phone calls police uncovered Pont s unsuccessful attempts to fence the diamonds in Geneva which is not a city known for its diamond trade 9 10 The trial was scheduled to begin in September 2017 but it was delayed because Bertoldi was serving a sentence in a French prison for kidnapping and could not be extradited 11 12 Bertoldi admitted to having received diamonds stolen in the robbery but denied any involvement 13 In May 2018 18 of those tried in connection to the heist were acquitted The case against Bertoldi the suspected mastermind was yet to be heard 14 pending the outcome of his appeal over his kidnapping conviction 15 In June 2019 the correctional tribunal of Brussels sentenced Bertoldi to five years of imprisonment and a fine for being a co conspirator in the heist for being part of a criminal organisation and for money laundering The tribunal did not consider him to be the mastermind behind the heist however contrary to the prosecutor 16 Reaction EditBelgian prosecutor Ine Van Wymersch nl said the robbers were very very professional 4 French airport security consultant Doron Levy said that he was certain this was an inside job adding the heist was incredibly audacious and well organized and that big jobs like that were often so well organized that the robbers probably know the employees by name 4 See also Edit Belgium portal1971 Baker Street robbery 1977 Krugersdorp bank robbery 2003 Antwerp diamond heist 2005 Schiphol Airport diamond heist 2015 Hatton Garden safe deposit burglary List of missing treasures Lufthansa heistReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i Chrisafis Angelique 19 February 2013 Diamond heist at Brussels airport nets gang up to 30m in gems The Guardian Archived from the original on 20 September 2014 Retrieved 19 February 2013 a b c d e f g Casert Raf 19 February 2013 Diamond heist hits Swiss plane on Brussels tarmac Associated Press Archived from the original on 24 February 2013 Retrieved 19 February 2013 Brussels diamond robbery nets gigantic haul BBC 19 February 2013 Archived from the original on 19 February 2013 Retrieved 19 February 2013 a b c d e f g h i Higgins Andrew 19 February 2013 Brazen Jewel Robbery at Brussels Airport Nets 50 Million in Diamonds The New York Times Archived from the original on 21 February 2013 Retrieved 20 February 2013 85 De diamantroof op Zaventem Op 3 minuten tijd was 37 miljoen euro weg De Stemmen van Assisen DS Podcast De Standaard Retrieved Feb 17 2023 Arrests over 50m diamond heist BBC News 2013 05 08 Archived from the original on 2016 02 26 Retrieved 2018 02 02 Graff Michelle 2016 01 03 19 to Stand Trial in 50M Airport Diamond Heist National Jeweler Retrieved 2019 02 11 Paterson Tony 2013 05 10 Luxury car dealer from Cote d Azur under arrest over 30m airport The Independent Retrieved 2019 02 11 Paterson Tony 2013 06 18 Jewel heist ends in farce amid bungled attempts to sell gems Tweed Daily News Retrieved 2019 02 11 Carvajal Doreen 2013 06 15 A Less Than Perfect Crime Stealing 350 Million in Diamonds Was Easy but How to Unload Them International Herald Tribune Archived from the original on 2019 02 12 Hope Alan 2017 08 28 Diamond heist trial delayed as chief suspect is in prison in France Flanders Today Retrieved 2019 02 11 8 years in prison and 300 000 euro fine in abduction case Luxembourg Times 8 February 2017 Retrieved 11 February 2019 Suspects behind daring Helvetic diamond heist could face eight years in prison The Local 2018 02 05 Retrieved 2019 02 11 Casert Raf 2018 05 17 18 Acquitted in Massive Brussels Airport 2013 Diamond Heist U S News amp World Report Associated Press Retrieved 2019 02 11 McNally Paul 2017 09 11 2018 date set for Brussels Airport diamond heist trial The Bulletin Retrieved 2019 02 11 Verhaeghe Chris 27 June 2019 Franse gangster Marc Bertoldi veroordeeld als mededader van diamantroof Zaventem French gangster Marc Bertoldi sentenced as co conspirator in Zaventem diamond heist www vrt be in Dutch VRT NWS Retrieved 27 June 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Brussels Airport diamond heist amp oldid 1140049456, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
