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In Raids Across Europe, Police Recover Some Diamonds Stolen in $50 Million Theft Raids Yield Stolen Gems And Arrests In Europe
(35 minutes later)
PARIS — More than 200 Belgian police fanned out at dawn Wednesday as part of raids in three countries that swept up more than 30 people and recovered at least some of the $50 million in diamonds stolen in an audacious and carefully orchestrated robbery at the Brussels airport in February, investigators said. PARIS — More than 200 Belgian police officers and authorities in two other countries on Wednesday swept up more than 30 people and recovered some of the $50 million in diamonds stolen in a carefully orchestrated robbery in Brussels in February, investigators said.
The raids in France, Belgium and Switzerland took place on Tuesday and Wednesday and rounded up middlemen, intermediaries and at least one man suspected of being part of the team that held up a Brink’s armored car that was carrying 120 packets of rough and polished diamonds from Antwerp, the gem trading hub in Belgium. The raids in France, Belgium and Switzerland took place on Tuesday and Wednesday and rounded up middlemen, intermediaries and at least one man suspected of being part of the team that held up a Brink’s armored car at the Brussels airport nearly three months ago. The vehicle was carrying 120 packets of rough and polished diamonds from Antwerp, the gem trading hub in Belgium.
The heavily armed robbers, disguised as police officers, struck with lightening precision just 18 minutes before the diamonds were to be transferred to an evening flight bound for Zurich. They got away in minutes without firing a shot. The heavily armed robbers, disguised as police officers, struck with lightning precision just 18 minutes before the diamonds were to be transferred to a flight bound for Zurich. They got away in minutes without firing a shot.
A Swiss investigator, who declined to be named because of the continuing inquiry, said that almost a third of the stolen diamonds were seized in Geneva, where authorities also confiscated about $110,000 and a number of luxury cars. Those arrested in Switzerland, including a Geneva lawyer, were all middlemen and intermediaries involved in efforts to cut and sell the diamonds, the investigator said. A Swiss investigator, who declined to be named because of the continuing inquiry, said that almost a third of the stolen diamonds were seized in Geneva, where authorities also confiscated about $110,000 and a number of luxury cars.
Caroline De Wolf, a spokeswoman for the Antwerp World Diamond Center, a trade organization that promotes the diamond business in Belgium, said the group was still waiting for more information about which diamonds were recovered. Many of them were stolen with their tracking documents. Those arrested in Switzerland, including a Geneva lawyer, were all middlemen and intermediaries involved in efforts to cut and sell the diamonds, the investigator said.
A key break came two months ago when investigators in Geneva learned that an organized crime figure from the south of France had surfaced in Switzerland shortly after the robbery, apparently to dispose of the diamonds. Caroline De Wolf, a spokeswoman for the Antwerp World Diamond Center, a trade organization that promotes the diamond business in Belgium, said the group was still waiting for more information about which diamonds were recovered.
Police did not identify the crime figure, nor were any of the others arrested, but his appearance allowed authorities to trace at least part of the criminal network. The Belgian police raided 40 sites in Brussels and Flanders, in northern Belgium, and arrested 24 men between 30 and 50 years old, many with extensive criminal records in Brussels for armed robberies, said Jean-Marc Meilleur, a spokesman for the Belgian prosecutor.r Many of them were stolen with their tracking documents.
Authorities also arrested eight suspects in Switzerland, including a lawyer and a businessman, and one in France. Mr. Meilleur told reporters that one of the robbers was a French citizen who was arrested in France, where authorities also seized a Porsche and thousands of dollars in cash. The role of the Belgians was still being determined, though some could have acted as intermediaries or fences, Mr. Meilleur said. An important break came two months ago when investigators in Geneva learned that an organized crime figure from the south of France had surfaced in Switzerland shortly after the robbery, apparently to dispose of the diamonds.
After the robbery, there was speculation that the heist was planned so flawlessly that the robbers must have had inside help. Asked about the complicity of airport workers, Mr. Meilleur declined to answer. The police did not identify the crime figure, nor were any of the others arrested, but his appearance allowed the authorities to trace at least part of the criminal network.
The February robbery was not the worst around the diamond capital. The record heist took place in 2003 when a ring of Italian thieves stole diamonds valued at about $100 million from the vault of the Antwerp Diamond Center, a robbery they had been planning for years by renting office space in the same building and learning to circumvent the security system. The Belgian police, who began their operations at dawn, raided 40 sites in Brussels and Flanders, in northern Belgium, and arrested 24 men between 30 and 50 years old, many with extensive criminal records in Brussels for armed robberies, said Jean-Marc Meilleur, a spokesman for the Belgian prosecutor.
The authorities also arrested eight suspects in Switzerland, including a lawyer and a businessman, and one in France.
Mr. Meilleur told reporters that one of the robbers was a French citizen who was arrested in France, where the authorities also seized a Porsche and thousands of dollars in cash.
The role of the Belgians was still being determined, though some could have acted as intermediaries or fences, Mr. Meilleur said.
After the robbery, there was speculation that the theft was planned so flawlessly that the robbers must have had inside help. Asked about the complicity of airport workers, Mr. Meilleur declined to answer.
The February robbery was not the worst around the diamond capital. The record theft took place in 2003 when Italian thieves stole diamonds valued at about $100 million from the vault of the Antwerp Diamond Center, a robbery they had been planning for years by renting office space in the same building and learning to circumvent the security system.
Those thieves and their ringleader were ultimately tripped up by DNA left on a half-eaten salami sandwich in an abandoned sack and adhesive tape left in the vault.Those thieves and their ringleader were ultimately tripped up by DNA left on a half-eaten salami sandwich in an abandoned sack and adhesive tape left in the vault.
Most of the thieves were arrested, but none of the stones were ever recovered.Most of the thieves were arrested, but none of the stones were ever recovered.