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Brussels Airport Diamond Heist Valued at $50M
Feb 19, 2013 7:48 AM
By Avi Krawitz
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RAPAPORT... Approximately $50 million worth of rough and polished diamonds were stolen in an armed heist that took place at Brussels airport Monday night, spokespersons for the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) told Rapaport News.
Eight gunmen drove two black vehicles with flashing blue lights onto the tarmac to an awaiting passenger plane. They brandished machine guns and forced their way into the cargo hold to access the supply of diamonds and precious metals awaiting shipment from Antwerp to Zurich.
"We find it hard to understand how a robbery such as yesterday's heist could take place," said Caroline De Wolf, AWDC spokesperson. "We are currently awaiting the results of the investigation but we do fear the damage for Antwerp, the world's leading trade center, is significant."
De Wolf explained that diamonds are transported via airplane precisely because of the safe and controlled nature of air travel and added that AWDC hopes additional security measures will be put in place to ensure a safe and fluent transport of diamonds.
The airport issued a statement through its Facebook page saying, “There was no shooting and no one got injured. This lasted only a few minutes and after that, (the robbers) left the airport domain through the damaged fence.”
Brinks has the exclusive handling license for cash-in-transit operations at the Brussels airport. Sources noted that the goods affected may therefore have been sourced in Belgium from a number of cash-in-transit handling companies before reaching the Brinks vaults at the airport.
Brinks declined to comment at press time.
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Tags:
Avi Krawitz, Rapaport
Diamonds
Brinks
Brussels Airport
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