The Malta Independent 22 May 2024, Wednesday
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Belgium says 31 detained in $50m diamond heist

Malta Independent Wednesday, 8 May 2013, 11:51 Last update: about 11 years ago

A Belgian prosecutor says 31 people have been detained in three countries in connection with a spectacular $50 million airport diamond heist that was pulled off with clockwork precision.

Prosecutor Anja Bijnens says one person was detained in France, six in Switzerland and 24 in Belgium in connection with the robbery at Brussels Airport on Feb. 19.

In addition, Bijnens said Wednesday that money and diamonds connected with the heist had been recovered — the money in Belgium and the diamonds in Switzerland. She did not specify the amounts.

The diamonds had been loaded on a plane bound for Zurich when robbers drove through a hole in the airport fence, approached the plane, brandished guns, unloaded the diamonds, then made their getaway.

 

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