Canadian police announced on Thursday that they are investigating the theft of over $15 million in gold and other “high value” goods at Toronto Airport.
The bars and other valuables arrived Monday night in a container which was unloaded from an aircraft and stored safely at the loading facility, Stephen Duivesteyn, Peel Regional Police Inspector, told a news conference.
The cargo, over a ton and a half, was declared missing soon after.
Duivesteyn said the “high value container was illegally withdrawn facilities,” but declined to comment on the details of the theft or who might be behind it.
‘Our researchers have their eyes open to all possibilities,’ said the manager. “We are evaluating from all angles how it was stolen.” According to police sources cited by The Toronto Sun newspaper, the attacker I must have information from someone inside the airport.
The same newspaper reported that -according to anonymous sources- the thieves took 3,600 pounds of gold (1,600 kg) and that the authorities are investigating organized crime groups in the region.
Such an expedition would be worth nearly $100 million. However, the police stated that the losses are about 15 million dollarstherefore the local press hypothesizes that the thieves would not have taken all the loot that the lot had.
“It’s quite unusual,” Duivesteyn said, describing the theft as an isolated incident with no impact on travellers. The officer added that it was too early to tell whether it was a professional robbery or a crime of opportunity. Everything is wrapped up in an eye catching mystery and disorientation.
The Greater Toronto Airport Authority confirmed to CTV News that the thieves had access to the public area of a leased warehouse to third parties outside the main airport security line and that this did not imply entry into the airport or any threat to passengers or airport staff.
It is believed that gold – along with an unknown number of Tickets— were shipped as part of a intrabank transaction. A confidential note published by The Sun indicated that the bank in question was TD while the airline was Air Canada. Both entities have denied being involved.
Maple syrup, plane hijackings and other iconic heists
The theft took place at Canada’s largest airport, which is also a frequent route through which precious minerals pass. Ontario, the province where the attack took place, produces approx one-fifth of minerals mined in Canada.
This coup could be the largest in Canadian history, surpassing even an iconic assault for that country, when uone gang stole 3,000 tons of maple syrup, a kind of honey which is the flagship brand of that country. It was estimated at 13 million dollars the value of that load.
The “Great Maple Syrup Heist” occurred over several months between 2011 and 2012, when a gang smuggled in syrup from a local factory. Five ringleaders were arrested. The case inspired a Netflix documentary and an Amazon comedy.
Another iconic robbery occurred in 1990, at Montreal’s Dorval International Airport, when armed robbers set up a private plane ambush and they took $13.7 million worth of gold bars and other valuables
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.