Thursday, March 31, 2011

Stolen Art Watch, Diamonds Worth Millions Reported Stolen at BaselWorld

Basel - Four diamonds worth millions have been stolen from a stand at the world's biggest jewellery fair in Basel.
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A spokesman for Basel's prosecutor's office, Markus Melzl, said the robbery occurred at around 11am this morning when "three diverted the attention of the diamond trader's employees, while two others opened the showcase".
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The Israeli trader, whose identity has not yet been revealed, first realised that the four diamonds worth millions of euro had been stolen some fifteen minutes later.
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After the robbery, the exhibition hall was closed for half an hour, but the thieves had already run away. According to the local police, the theft may have involved 4-5 'professionals' who are thought to have checked out the showcase several times over the past few days.
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Four diamonds worth millions were reportedly stolen Wednesday from a diamond trader exhibiting at the BaselWorld watch and jewelry show in Basel, Switzerland, news outlets report.


A spokesman for the Basel prosecutor's office, Markus Melzl, issued a statement to the following effect: "On Wednesday, 30 March 2011, at around 11:00 am, one of the as yet still unidentified perpetrators distracted an employee of a diamond trader in the exhibition hall 3.0, and stole four diamonds worth millions from the display window."


The trader noticed the theft only about 15 minutes after the diamonds had been taken, and the hall was closed for half an hour. Nevertheless, the suspects apparently managed to leave the premises with the diamonds.


Melzl noted that the theft was "carried out in a very professional manner."

Police were examining security camera footage from the expo and search for possible DNA traces and fingerprints that the suspects might have left behind.


BaselWorld 2011, the largest event of its kind in Europe, opened on March 24 and runs through today. Over 1,800 exhibitors – including luxury watch manufacturers, diamond manufacturers, and diamond jewelry designers – are showing at this year's event.
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Art Hostage Comments:

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At the same venue last year thieves attempted to steal diamonds worth $10 million but were apprehended in the viewing hall before they could escape.
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On that occasion only one or two of thieves were caught, leaving the rest of the gang to return this year and be more successful on their escape.
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Oh
, and the current value for the stolen four diamonds, $10 million.
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Take Your Pick
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/iteam&id=7377573
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http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_560266.html
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http://www.antwerpfacetsonline.be/nc/articles/single/article/india-jewellery-show-diamond-thieves-arrested-in-dubai/
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http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/111/article_3074.asp
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On the other hand you could always go Pink, as in Pink Panthers, with this remarkable insight by David Samuels: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/04/12/100412fa_fact_samuels

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