This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/08/brussels-airport-diamond-robbery-arrests
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 31 arrested over £32m diamond robbery at Brussels airport | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Europe-wide police manhunt following a daring diamond robbery in Brussels has resulted in 31 arrests in three countries. | A Europe-wide police manhunt following a daring diamond robbery in Brussels has resulted in 31 arrests in three countries. |
| Belgian police said the co-ordinated operations ended with 24 people arrested across Belgium, six in Switzerland, and one in France who was said to have taken part in the eight-man raid at Brussels' main airport in February which netted an estimated £32m worth of uncut gems. | Belgian police said the co-ordinated operations ended with 24 people arrested across Belgium, six in Switzerland, and one in France who was said to have taken part in the eight-man raid at Brussels' main airport in February which netted an estimated £32m worth of uncut gems. |
| Police said some of the diamonds were recovered in Switzerland, while many of the arrests in Belgium concerned individuals known to the authorities as members of Brussels' criminal underworld, some of them with records for armed attack. | Police said some of the diamonds were recovered in Switzerland, while many of the arrests in Belgium concerned individuals known to the authorities as members of Brussels' criminal underworld, some of them with records for armed attack. |
| The robbery was carried out with precision and speed on the evening of 18 February and appeared to have been carried out with detailed insider knowledge. | The robbery was carried out with precision and speed on the evening of 18 February and appeared to have been carried out with detailed insider knowledge. |
| A Helvetica Airways passenger plane was gearing up for takeoff as the mainly uncut stones from Antwerp, the world's diamond trading centre half an hour's drive away, were loaded into the luggage hold from a Brinks security van. | A Helvetica Airways passenger plane was gearing up for takeoff as the mainly uncut stones from Antwerp, the world's diamond trading centre half an hour's drive away, were loaded into the luggage hold from a Brinks security van. |
| The gang of eight masked and heavily armed men cut through the security fencing near the Swiss plane and also opened a nearby gate. They drove up in two black vehicles with blue police lights flashing, held the plane and Brinks staff at gunpoint, quickly opened the luggage hold, took 121 packets of diamonds and quickly made off. | The gang of eight masked and heavily armed men cut through the security fencing near the Swiss plane and also opened a nearby gate. They drove up in two black vehicles with blue police lights flashing, held the plane and Brinks staff at gunpoint, quickly opened the luggage hold, took 121 packets of diamonds and quickly made off. |
| The heist took 15 minutes without a shot being fired. One of the vehicles used in the robbery, a stolen Mercedes taxi, was later found burnt out and abandoned. The other, an Audi, bore a French number plate. Belgian police said on Wednesday that the man arrested in France was probably one of the gang of eight. | The heist took 15 minutes without a shot being fired. One of the vehicles used in the robbery, a stolen Mercedes taxi, was later found burnt out and abandoned. The other, an Audi, bore a French number plate. Belgian police said on Wednesday that the man arrested in France was probably one of the gang of eight. |
| The ease and speed with which the robbery was carried out has raised questions about security at Zaventem airport outside Brussels. | The ease and speed with which the robbery was carried out has raised questions about security at Zaventem airport outside Brussels. |
| The diamonds, bound for India via Zurich, were mainly uncut, meaning they carried no certification, making them harder to trace and easier to sell on. | The diamonds, bound for India via Zurich, were mainly uncut, meaning they carried no certification, making them harder to trace and easier to sell on. |
| "At least 10 of the men arrested in Belgium were known to the justice authorities, mainly for armed attacks. They were part of the Brussels criminal milieu," said a Brussels police spokesman, Jean-Marc Meilleur. "We're assuming that the man arrested in France is one of the perpetrators of the attack." | "At least 10 of the men arrested in Belgium were known to the justice authorities, mainly for armed attacks. They were part of the Brussels criminal milieu," said a Brussels police spokesman, Jean-Marc Meilleur. "We're assuming that the man arrested in France is one of the perpetrators of the attack." |
| The Frenchman was arrested under a European arrest warrant and the Belgians are requesting his extradition, although it is not clear if the same applies to the six arrests in Switzerland. | The Frenchman was arrested under a European arrest warrant and the Belgians are requesting his extradition, although it is not clear if the same applies to the six arrests in Switzerland. |
| guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am | guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am |