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Antwerp
By Marc Goldstein
Is there such a thing as a coincidence? If so, Antwerp had a remarkable one on February 18, 2013. On that day, a group of well-trained, well-equipped and extremely well-informed armed thieves managed to steal approximately $50 million worth of rough and polished diamonds from the cargo hold of an airliner awaiting takeoff at Brussels’ Zaventem airport. On the same day, Stephan Van Hauwe took up his new responsibilities as senior security coordinator for Antwerp Diamond Area (ADA) Security, the security office of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) that is focused on security for the entire diamond community in Antwerp, within and outside the bourse.
Van Hauwe summarized the progress of the airport heist. “The investigation is still ongoing, so not much can be said. However, the good news is that those who were insured were reimbursed by their respective insurance companies for their losses within two weeks after the incident. It is important to note that even though the stolen diamonds had most likely already been sold by the Antwerp diamantaires shipping the goods, the diamonds were still the responsibility of the sellers and the shippers” until they were delivered to the buyers. Concerning the case itself, Van Hauwe said the investigation has revealed that the crime was committed by “eight people, well equipped, well trained and heavily armed. They used unmarked vehicles that match exactly those the police use for VIP transport, such as the A8 Audi and Mercedes Vito. In addition, they set fire to decoy vehicles to draw police attention away from the scene” while the crime was occurring. “One way or another, it appears someone from within the trade supplied, willingly or not, direct information to the perpetrators,” said Van Hauwe. “They knew the precise timing and the number and whereabouts of the airplane. There was no second chance. The difficulty for these people will now lie with the fact that there are at least eight of them. All will have to remain silent and refrain from showing off extravagant purchases if they want to remain under the radar…which is very difficult.”
The February heist marks the fifth time that robberies have occurred at the Zaventem airport in similar fashion. Yvan De Mesmaeker, vice chairman of the board of ADA Security, as well as a renowned international independent security adviser, explained that “What happens at the airport falls under the authority of the Brussels Airport Company and the police. The AWDC can only advise and facilitate. While it is true that the Brussels International Airport is compliant with international aviation regulations and its security is comparable to other European airports, these incidents make it clear that the risk linked to such high-value shipments must be reviewed. I have every reason to feel optimistic, given the goodwill and excellent collaboration and spirit shared among stakeholders in this case, including the police and security forces. But, as we all know, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and we will follow up very closely on the additional security measures that can — and should — be implemented!” It has been reported that a set of specific security recommendations will be disclosed in the near future by Belgium’s Minister of the Interior Joëlle Milquet.
“We’re currently in the process of reviewing our threat landscape,” said De Mesmaeker, adding that “we’ve already had several very constructive meetings with both the local Antwerp and federal authorities to concretely deal with security issues. The need is being felt to bring security in line.” He said he is encouraged by the fact that “The new political leadership in Belgium appears willing to take security measures that go beyond what has been done previously. ” Van Hauwe said that any recommendations for improving security will be based on collaboration between all stakeholders: the local and federal police, the diamantaires, the insurers and government officials. The ADA Security program revolves around five pillars, which range from strategic to operational. Included are the identification of risks, the design of appropriate security measures, coordination among the ten programs under development to serve the ADA, and procedures to prevent and respond to security breaches and incidents.Article from the Rapaport Magazine - April 2013. To subscribe click here.
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