Suspects of diamond robbery at Schiphol airport Interior

The suspects have appealed against their convictions. According to the Court of Appeal, the substantive handling of the case will take a long time, partly because witnesses must be heard abroad. The foursome can therefore wait for their trial in freedom.

With the spectacular robbery, 72 million dollars worth of diamonds were captured and is therefore one of the biggest robberies in Dutch history. A large part of the loot remained without a trace.

The robbery took place on a platform of the airport. The perpetrators struck the moment the precious cargo was put on a ready-to-go plane to Antwerp. Two masked men drove to the plane in a stolen KLM van and forced the staff to drop the cargo under threat of firearms. A short time later they took off in the van.

Long-term undercover operation

Only twelve years later did the police arrest suspects, after a long-term undercover operation, among other things. Six suspects have been on trial. Among them were two airport employees who allegedly participated in the robbery from the inside. One of them was acquitted, the other got five years from the court. The highest sentence (seven years) was for the presumed organizer of the robbery. A seventh suspect, the suspected brain behind the robbery, has died.

Hans Otto den Otter, one of the lawyers in the case, welcomes the decision of the court. He points out that the suspects were also temporarily suspended by the court at an earlier stage and that they then properly adhered to the conditions. Den Otter had previously asked the court to suspend the custody.

It is not known when proceedings will continue.

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