Fri, Nov 22, 2024 | Jumada al-Awwal 20, 1446 | DXB ktweather icon0°C

Fourth suspect of Pink Panther gang arrested over Wafi heist

Top Stories

A screen grab from cctv footage taken from a security camera at Wafi City mall in Dubai during a smash and grab jewellery heist on April 15, 2007. Courtesy Dubai Police

A screen grab from cctv footage taken from a security camera at Wafi City mall in Dubai during a smash and grab jewellery heist on April 15, 2007. Courtesy Dubai Police

Dubai - The fourth suspect of the infamous 'Pink Panther gang' involved in a daring Dh 14.7 million heist at Dubai's Wafi Mall in 2007 has been apprehended, Dubai Police announced on Thursday.

Published: Thu 15 Oct 2015, 2:49 PM

Updated: Thu 12 Jan 2023, 9:31 AM

  • By
  • Staff Reporter

In the April 15, 2007 robbery, the group of armed robbers drove two stolen Audi A8s through the glass façade at the mall before stopping at the House of Graff and making their getaway with stolen diamonds in front of stunned shoppers.

In a Tweet on its official account, Dubai Police said the force had mobilized "all resources and facilities to make the mission of the Task Force a success. That ended in the arrest of the fourth subject in the referred case."

In another Tweet, Dubai Police thanked Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's Minister of Interior, for his help in making the arrest.

Also read: Pink Panther's Wafi heist car on show

More details will be released in a press conference in the coming days.

Two suspects, both Serbian nationals, were apprehended within weeks of the robbery, while a third was captured last year in Spain.

Also read: Jewel thieves strike at two Dubai shops

All the suspects are thought to be members of the notorious "Pink Panthers", which law enforcement officers believe was also responsible for a series of heists across Europe and Japan.

A 2013 film documentary entitled "Smash and Grab: The Story of the Pink Panthers" chronicles some of the gang's exploits and the efforts of law enforcement agencies - including Dubai Police - to bring them to justice.

reporters@khaleejTimes.com

Background

April 15, 2007 - A Pink Panthers team brazenly drove two limousines into Wafi Mall, smashed the front window of Graft store and escaped with jewellery and watches worth approximately Dh 14.7million stolen in less than a minute.

November 2008 - Court Upholds 10-year Jail Sentence in Wafi Heist Case The Criminal Court of First Instance had convicted Nicolas Milat Slobolden, 33, owner of a company, on June 8 this year of complicity in the robbery in Graff Jewellery in Wafi City on April 15 2007. It had also acquitted Milan Miltek, 52, visitor, of possessing some of the stolen jewellery.Besides these two, four others, belonging to a gang called "Pink Panthers, are suspected to be involved in the case and two of them were arrested in Monacco recently. The arrested were a 27-year-old Serbian and 31-year-old Bosnian who were wanted in a similar robbery in Monaco and in other cases in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The other two are still at large.

February 2011 - Interpol lauds Dubai Police work in unravelling Pink Panther The Dubai Police investigation into the Wafi City heist has helped the Interpol identify the ways of the international jewel thief gang, Pink Panthers, that has carried out daring robberies in Europe, the USA and Asia, including the Middle East, Serbia and Japan.

May 2013 - Pink Panther's Wafi heist car on show - The car used by the infamous Pink Panther Gang was put on display at the Dubai Police Museum.

Also read: Diamonds heist case cracked



Next Story