Police arrest seven in connection with Schiphol diamond heist 12 years ago

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Dutch police this weekend arrested seven Dutch nationals in Amsterdam and Valencia, Spain in connection with a massive diamond heist 12 years ago.

The five men and two women were detained on Friday and Saturday on suspicion of involvement in the armed robbery and money laundering, the military police said on Facebook.

The theft took place on February 25, 2005 when armed robbers dressed as KLM staff hijacked an armoured car in a secure of Schiphol airport and stole uncut diamonds said to be worth more than $72m. The diamonds were about to be loaded onto a plane and flown to Belgium.

Police say the arrests were made following a tip off. Part of the diamond haul was recovered from a getaway car but some $43m worth of gems are still missing.

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