Every so often there is a major heist in Europe

[kochman]

Every so often there is a major heist in Europe, and it's pretty spectacular. We're talking about the kind of heists that movies are made up of.

Dateline - 18 August 2014, Paris

Heavily armed robbers have mounted a brazen attack on the motorcade of a Saudi prince in Paris, making off with 250,000 euros in cash and stealing diplomatic papers, French police said Monday.
...
A gang of "between five and eight" thieves in two BMWs hijacked the first of around 10 vehicles in the convoy, driving off with the three occupants before letting them go, police said.

Dateline - 31 July 2013, Cannes

Investigators were at work Tuesday looking into the weekend theft of jewels worth close to $136 million from an exhibition in the French resort city of Cannes, the prosecutor's office in nearby Grasse said.

A reformed jewel thief told CNN that the robbery Sunday morning at a jewelry exhibition in the luxury Carlton Hotel -- the third gem theft around the city since May -- had all the hallmarks of a professional job.

The robber, whose face was covered by a hat and a scarf, had a semiautomatic pistol and threatened to shoot the exhibitors and guests, according to Philippe Vique, deputy prosecutor for organized crime in the prosecutor's office.

Dateline - 19 February 2013, Brussels

Armed robbers have made off with a "gigantic" haul of diamonds after a rapid raid at Brussels Airport.

Disguised as police, they broke through a fence on Monday evening and broke into the cargo of a Swiss-bound plane to take the gems, estimated to be worth $50m (£32m; 37m euros).

Video News Report

They were arrested a few months later.


4 more major heists, all involving diamonds.
The funny part about diamond heists is, diamonds really aren't worth anything... they are just a racket. However, to protect this racket, European police are willing to dump a lot of money...

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

I find it hard to believe awesome stuff like this actually happens outside of the movies.

There are really George Clooneys and Michael Caines out there sitting in strip clubs and warehouses plotting and planning out the minutia of this stuff. And that makes this world not seem that bad.

 

[bhsup]

Continuing your reasoning, I'm personally giddy about the prospect of an Inspector Clouseau heading the investigations!

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

From what I've heard people don't get killed in such incidents.

 

[Quackers]

It's nice to see a Saudi Prince get robbed.

 

[kochman]

I find it hard to believe awesome stuff like this actually happens outside of the movies.

There are really George Clooneys and Michael Caines out there sitting in strip clubs and warehouses plotting and planning out the minutia of this stuff. And that makes this world not seem that bad.

YES! And, they're stealing from really rich people, so win win.

Continuing your reasoning, I'm personally giddy about the prospect of an Inspector Clouseau heading the investigations!

After Steve Martin completely blew it?

From what I've heard people don't get killed in such incidents.

Despite all the criminals being armed.

It's nice to see a Saudi Prince get robbed.

Certainly doesn't hurt...

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Despite all the criminals being armed.

And the victims being unarmed.

 

[bhsup]

After Steve Martin completely blew it?

There can be only one.

 

[kochman]

And the victims being unarmed.

Exactly, the defenseless victims lost millions...

There can be only one.

Obviously no one can equal Sellers...

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Exactly, the defenseless victims lost millions...

Better than having the heists turn into those from Heat. And massive sums of stolen wealth in particular forms (i.e. art, diamonds, etc) can be tracked down. I may have to read up on that.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Continuing your reasoning, I'm personally giddy about the prospect of an Inspector Clouseau heading the investigations!

I know! There's this whole other world of awesome weaving itself between our boring and monotonous lives.

YES! And, they're stealing from really rich people, so win win.

Right? They won't miss a painting or two.

Or maybe they'll hire another team to try and steal it back? Maybe there's this whole other world where they're all trying to rob one another for horsehockys and giggles? They show up at someone else's dinner party and are like "oh, so that's what happened to my Van Gogh!" And a few weeks later it's mysteriously back in their Provencal villa.

The drama comes in when a hired team decides to make off with the booty themselves instead of deliver it to their contractor.

 

[kochman]

@@SS

Like this one?
Dateline - 28 Februrary 1997, California

The North Hollywood shootout was an armed confrontation between two heavily armed and armored bank robbers and officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997. Both robbers were killed, eleven police officers and seven civilians were injured, and numerous vehicles and other property were damaged or destroyed by the nearly 2,000 rounds of ammunition fired by the robbers and police.

For substantially less money...

Video = Graphic

Link to video.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

The North Hollywood guys were wearing suits of armor made out of ceramic vital plates. Talk about movie-quality insanity, the police weapons literally couldn't penetrate them...

 

[bhsup]

IIRC didn't they have to get better gear from a nearby gun shop?

 

[kochman]

The North Hollywood guys were wearing suits of armor made out of ceramic vital plates. Talk about movie-quality insanity, the police weapons literally couldn't penetrate them...

They were also pumped up on speed and painkillers to help them should they get into a firefight!

 

[Terxpahseyton]

They were also pumped up on speed and painkillers to help them should they get into a firefight!

Woah man.. Incredible.

 

[Kozmos]

Don't you people remember the Killdozer? (which sounds like an awesome metal band)

 

[Terxpahseyton]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killdozer_(band)

 

[warpus]

I wonder who organizes such heists? Organized crime groups from Russia?

 

[bhsup]

I don't think it is appropriate to accuse a head of state of being involved in such things without evidence, Warpus.