The police in Limburg have a specific group of suspects from the Balkans in their sights in the investigation into the jewelry robbery at the TEFAF fair. One of the stolen jewelery has also been recovered, which according to the investigative services can mean a ‘major step in the investigation’.
The Limburg police reports in a press release on Friday that the piece of jewelery found is ‘not the (well-known) large yellow diamond’. “But with the discovery of this piece of jewelry, the research team can take another big step in the investigation.” Police would not provide further details about the find.
27 million euros
On June 28 last year at the TEFAF art fair in Maastricht, four armed men smashed display cases with axes and took jewelery from the London jeweler Symbolic & Chase. According to Charles Taylor Adjusting, their loot would consist of ten pieces of jewelry, including a necklace with a yellow diamond of 114 carats. The necklace with the diamond is said to be worth 27 million euros.
Balkans
According to the Limburg police, the investigation so far points in the direction of suspects from the Balkans. A large-scale investigation team of about 20 detectives is working closely with Interpol, Europol and other European countries where similar robberies have taken place. There are also contacts between the investigation team and the authorities from the relevant Balkan countries.
Deep breath
The investigation has previously focused on the analysis of available footage, witness statements, forensic traces, escape routes, places of residence and escape vehicles. The investigation leader of the criminal investigation department says on Friday that it is a “long-term investigation”, but that there is “every confidence that the case can be solved and the suspects will be arrested and prosecuted.”
Pink Panthers
Earlier there were rumors that members of the infamous Pink Panthers gang from the Balkans were behind the robbery. This would be apparent from the typical clothing, the working method, the speed and the professionalism of the perpetrators.
Half a million
The research bureau of the insurance company has already offered a reward of 500,000 euros for the person with the golden tip about the four robbers in ‘Peaky Blinders’ outfit. The robbers fled on electric scooters.
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