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Men Swipe $65M in UK's Biggest Jewel Heist

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 12, 2009 7:03 AM CDT

(Newser) – Two well-dressed men escaped from one of London's most expensive jewelers with $65 million worth of rings, necklaces, and watches last week, in what the Telegraph calls the biggest heist in British history. Yesterday authorities released surveillance footage of the robbers, who used three cars to make their getaway. Their escape was nearly foiled when the robbers crashed their BMW into a taxi—pub customers chased them down the street, but one fired a warning shot before getting into a waiting Mercedes.

The two men briefly took one employee hostage and dragged her out into one of the capital's busiest streets before letting her go. They then sped away in the BMW, although it's believed that they handed off the loot to a waiting accomplice on a motorcycle. One officer said that the two men went directly for the most expensive items in the shop and that "they already have a market for the jewels."

Graff Diamonds in New Bond Street, London. Thieves took $65 million worth of jewels and watches Graff's in what local media are calling Britain's biggest jewelry heist.
Graff Diamonds in New Bond Street, London. Thieves took $65 million worth of jewels and watches Graff's in what local media are calling Britain's biggest jewelry heist.   (AP Photo/Clive Gee/PA)
This security camera image shows two men who allegedly took $65 million worth of jewels and watches from Graff Diamonds in London.
This security camera image shows two men who allegedly took $65 million worth of jewels and watches from Graff Diamonds in London.   (AP Photo/Metropolitan Police, Ho)
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This amateur video taken in central London shows the aftermath of a massive jewel heist.   (Hoochie1985)
43 items with a retail value of $65 million were stolen.   (meinhanfmeister)

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
cognitivefilter
Aug 13, 2009 3:29 AM CDT
i love reading about jewelry heists, they're retro cool
The_Pinkston
Aug 12, 2009 12:11 PM CDT
This sounds eerily similar to "A Fish Called Wanda." Maybe they watched that movie and took notes.
Nxxxx
Aug 12, 2009 9:36 AM CDT
Yeah, of course there's the traumatised innocents...but all they need's a cup o' tea and a lie down...right?
 

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