Image via Complex Original
High-profile jewelry heists aren't just the stuff of movies. There are plenty of thieves daring enough to pull it off in the real world. Like Ocean's 11, there are teams who work for months, or even years before pulling off a big score. While others use guns and force to swipe precious gems, plenty of outside-the-box thinking thieves conceive slick ways to smoothly pull off what seems like "the perfect crime."
The French resort city of Cannes, known for its film festivals and A-list guests, has been a favorite target for thieves. This year alone it’s been hit almost three times, with thieves getting away with millions of precious gems. We decided to look at what other robberies are worthy of a Hollywood script. Ranked in order of how big the score was, here are The Biggest Jewelry Heists in History.
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10. Dialite Imports Robbery
Date: December 2008
The Score: $4 million in diamonds and other jewels
One of the robberies on the list that did not happen in Europe happened right in New York City's Diamond District. With more diamond wholesalers concentrated in one area than any other place in the U.S., this place was a perfect target for a diamond heist. On New Year's Eve in 2008, robbers disguised as Orthodox Jewish men walked into Dialite Imports and swiped the place clean of $4 million in diamonds and other jewels. It was later discovered it was an inside job set up by the owners to collect on insurance money. The hired robbers who took park in the whole scheme still remain at large.
9. Louvre Diamond Heist
Date: 2004
The Score: 11.5 million Euros ($15.2 million) in diamonds
There might have been only two diamonds stolen during the Louvre diamond heist, but the estimated value of both reached in the millions. Lack of security allowed thieves to swipe the diamonds when guards left the gems unguarded for 15 minutes. That was more than enough time steal a 47-carat diamond and 30-carat stone.
8. ABN Amro Bank Raid
Date: March 2007
The Score: $28 million in diamonds
Carlos Hector Flomenbaum is not your typical robber who uses guns and brute force. For his one-man job, he became close with the staff at ABN Amro bank in Antwerp posing as a successful diamond dealer. He eventually acquired the key to the bank's safe, let himself in, then stole 120,000 carats in diamonds. How any employee would be so trusting to give up a key to a customer is beyond us. But it goes to show that personal charm goes a long way. He is still at large.
7. Carlton Hotel Diamond Heist
Date: August 1994
The Score: £30 million ($46.3 million) in jewels
The Carlton Hotel in the French resort city of Cannes was the setting for Alfred Hitchcock's famous movie To Catch a Thief. Ironically, it has also been a favorite target for jewelry heists. In August of 1994, robbers entered the hotel shooting their weapons in the air. They took nearly around £30 million in jewels and have never been seen since again. Police also discovered their guns were loaded with blanks.
6. Brussels Airport Diamond Heist
Date: February 2013
The Score: $50 million in diamonds
Armed with assault rifles and disguised as police officers, eight masked thieves stole millions worth of diamonds from the Brussels Airport. Airplane passengers on the Helvetic Airways flight had no clue an robbery was taking place, and it took the thieves just 20 minutes to load 130 bags of diamonds before taking off. In the end, about 30 suspects were rounded up, but only a few of the diamonds were recovered.
5. Carlton Hotel Heist Part 2
Date: July 2013
The Score: $53 million in gems
The most recent of the high-profile robbery occurred not too long ago. The Carlton Hotel in Cannes saw its second biggest robbery ever. A lone thief walked in during a jewelry exhibition and made of with 40 million Euros ($53 million) in precious gems. No signs of the suspect of the jewelry or the thief yet, but police suspect it's the work of a famous gang of thieves known as the Pink Panthers.
4. Graff Diamonds Robbery
Date: August 2009
The Score: £40 million ($61 million) in rings, bracelets, necklaces, and watches
When it comes to robberies, a great disguise is key. With the help of professional make-up artists, two men altered their hair, skin tone, and features with latex prosthetics. The duo disclosed it was all for a music video, but their new advanced "masks" were really used as a disguise to pull off one of London's largest jewelry robberies. The two men dressed as customers entered the Graff Diamonds store and robbed the place of 43 items of jewelry. The two men have since been arrested, but the jewelry is nowhere to be found.
3. Schiphol Airport Heist
Date: February 2005
The Score: 75 million Euros ($99.4 million) in diamonds
Taking two weeks to plan, this was a plain and simple hijacking. It involved a stolen KLM (a company used by the airport to transport cargo to and from planes) truck and KLM uniforms to blend in. Two thieves drove up to the target truck carrying the diamonds, forced their way in using guns, and took the diamonds and sped off the runway. Due to the exact knowledge of the exact location of the diamond, and the timing, it's suspected this was an inside job. To this day, the diamonds and suspects have not been located.
2. Harry Winston Jewelry Heist
Date: December 2008
The Score: 85 millon Euros ($112.7 million) in diamond rings, necklaces, and luxury watches
At the height of the holiday season, four men—three dressed as women—entered the Harry Winston jewelry store pulled off their wigs, and proceeded to rob the store. The robbers nearly cleaned the famous jewelry store out of all its stock. At the time, it was one of the biggest jewelry hauls ever.
Antwerp Diamond Heist
Date: February 2003
The Score: 100 million Euros ($132.3 million) in diamonds, gold, and other jewelry
The Antwerp Diamond Heist is the stuff you only see in movies. What was known as the "heist of the century" took also the longest time to plan and execute. It took Leonardo Notarbartolo and his five-man team almost three years to plan this high-scale operation. It involved renting an office in the diamond center 2 and a half years before the robbery, posing as an employee and establishing relationships with employees at the diamond center. To top that off, they passed security systems that included infrared sensors, magnetic fields, seismic sensors and more. If it weren't for a half-eaten sandwich left at the crime scene that matched the thieves' DNA, they would've gotten away with it.