While you may be more familiar with the diamond heists seen in films, such as 2002’s Night at the Museum and 2008’s The Italian Job, there have been plenty of diamond heists in true crime over the years, as well. Here are some of the most famous thefts that have occurred around the world:
Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. On February 25, 2005, approximately $118 million worth of stones were stolen from the airport. The thieves wore stolen KLM uniforms and drove a stolen KLM truck to steal the diamonds, many of which were uncut and thus hard to put a value on. In addition, the drivers actually did a test scenario two weeks prior to their diamond heist using a stolen KLM cargo truck.
Gorgeous and easy to steal?
Antwerp Diamond Center in Antwerp, Belgium. This diamond heist took place on February 16, 2008, when thieves stole approximately $100 million worth of gems, including many diamonds. The gang of thieves is a group called the School of Turin, in which some of the members were planning the heist for years. They analyzed the alarm system by renting office space in the building in 2000 and obtained and made copies of the keys to the vault. They even recorded over security cameras and inserted fake tapes into the buildings surveillance system to protect themselves.
The ABN Amro Bank in Antwerp, Belgium. This diamond heist took place on either the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th of March in 2007, when a man known as Carlos Hector Flomenbaum who was believed to be a successful business man who frequented the bank for a year or more stole 120,000 carats of diamonds as a trusted key holder of the vault. The total worth of the diamonds, which included 2 extremely rare green gems and 41 blue ones, is believed to be about $28 million.
The Damiani Showroom in Milan, Italy. On February 3, 2008, approximately $20 million worth of diamonds were stolen from the world-famous jewelry company’s showroom. The thieves drilled a hole each morning through the 4-foot wall in between the basement next door and the basement of the showroom until they could access the showroom without having to worry about the armed guard or high-tech alarm system set in place.
The Museon Museum of Science at the Hague. On either the 1st or 2nd of December in 2002, thieves stole one of the most valuable pieces at an incredible diamond exhibit for educating people about the gemstones. In fact, a total of 28 display cases in the exhibit were stolen with an overall worth of approximately $12 million. What is most boggling about this diamond heist is that there were 24-hour surveillance-camera footage that covered every bit of the exhibit as well as 24-hour security guards on duty, in addition to other security measures set in place.
Information about Diamonds
It is incredible to hear about diamond heists in part because of the incredible value of the gems. Many people who want to sell diamonds they have—but don’t need want to worry about what amount of cash for diamonds they can attain. In order to find out more about selling diamonds, look into diamond news and diamond resources in order to get an idea of the value of your gems. If you simply want to learn more about these precious stones, you can also look into the history of diamonds and various resource pages on these gorgeous gems.
Sources:
https://people.howstuffworks.com/five-largest-diamond-heists.htm
http://www.diamondpriceguide.com/articles/a87606_The-Greatest-Diamond-Heists-in-History
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