Mission Impossible Scenario In Latest Jewellery Heist

PR Log (Press Release) – Aug 21, 2009 – The two well-dressed, armed robbers did not appear to bother with any attempt at disguise, when they robbed the exclusive Graff store, in New Bond Street, London. Setting a new record, the thieves stole $67 million worth of precious gems.

Perpetrated in broad daylight, it was apparent the heist was well organized. A professional 29 year-old make-up artist was unsuspectingly used to ‘remodel’ the faces of the two robbers, for a fee of $650. He had been informed that the men were starring in a music video. A friend of the make-up artist said "They asked him to make them look older. He used special latex material to change the way they looked and was really pleased with the result”.

The thieves spent four hours at the make-up studio, in a Mission Impossible scenario. They had their hair colour changed, as well as their skin tone. Stick-on prosthetics were attached to their faces. Changing from T-shirts and shorts into formal suits, the men perpetrated the heist one and a half hours after leaving the studio.  

The thieves snatched only 43 exquisite pieces of jewellery, including a pair of circular diamond earrings, yellow diamond flower necklace and a $6 million watch. As they retreated from the jewellery store they dragged a female staff member with them as hostage. She was fortunately unharmed when a security guard pulled her to safety.

As the BMW roared away from the jewellery store it smashed into a taxi. A 24 year-old, would-be-hero, who had been drinking outside a pub, gave chase, thinking it was just a hit and run accident. He gave up when he was fired on by the retreating thieves.

Stolen gems such as these, are usually quickly whisked overseas within hours of a heist. Expert Antonia Kimbell, of the Art Loss Register's recovery unit, said: "These items are highly portable and a flight would have been set up. The Jewellery will pass through a number of hands quickly, to dissociate it with the people who carried out the robbery."
It is estimated the stones will be sold for 10% of their market value, after being broken up. This would still give the thieves around $7 million. The most likely market-place for the jewels being East Asia.

The two robbers may have connections with the renowned Pink Panther gang, a group of highly-disciplined former soldiers from Serbia.

Other bold raids have also been perpetrated over the last ten years, across 19 countries in Europe, Asia and the Persian Gulf. A bold theft netted cross-dressed robbers a million dollars, when they stole from an up-market Paris store, in December 2008.

The same make-up studio had also unknowingly provided disguises for the Securitas mob, which pulled off England’s largest cash robbery.  In 2006 $175 million was stolen from a Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent.

The latest theft not only holds the record of the biggest jewel heist in England, it also holds the record for the largest reward ever offered, of $1.6 million.

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