9/10/2023 0 Comments Gems of war to catch a thiefIn 2000, the Belgian government realized it would require a special type of cop to keep an eye on things and formed the squad. Business relationships follow the ancient family and religious traditions of the district's dominant Jewish and Indian dealers, known as diamantaires. About $3 billion worth of gem sales were reported here in 2003, but that's not counting a hidden world of handshake deals and off-ledger transactions. Eighty percent of the world's rough diamonds pass through this three-square-block area, which is under 24-hour police surveillance and monitored by 63 video cameras. Their beat: the labyrinthine Antwerp Diamond District. Peys and De Bruycker lead the Diamond Squad, the world's only specialized diamond police. It appeared that the thieves had so much loot, they simply couldn't carry it all away. Peys stepped on a diamond-encrusted bracelet. The floor was strewn with wads of cash and velvet-lined boxes. Now the foot-thick steel door was ajar, and more than 100 of the 189 safe-deposit boxes had been busted open. The subterranean chamber was supposed to be one of the most secure safes in the world. They had just received a frantic call: The vault had been compromised. Patrick Peys and Agim De Bruycker arrived at the Diamond Center the next morning. Location along the E19 motorway north of Brussels where Speedy dumped the garbage bag of evidence. "Get back in the car," Notarbartolo ordered. Speedy was breathing fast and shallow-the man was clearly in the midst of a full-blown panic attack. It was even possible to hear the faint gurgling of a small stream. The forest was quiet except for the occasional sound of a car or truck on the highway. "I think someone's coming," Speedy said, looking panicked. It would take hours to gather everything up and burn it. The mud around the car was flecked with dozens of tiny, glittering diamonds. Israeli and Indian currency skittered past a half-eaten salami sandwich. Spools of videotape clung to the branches like streamers on a Christmas tree. Speedy was stomping through the mud, hurling paper into the underbrush. The contents of the garbage bag was strewn amongst the trees. When he got there, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He decided to burn the stuff near a shed beside a small pond and headed back to the car. It was hard to see in the dark, but the spot seemed abandoned. He passed a rusty, dilapidated gate that looked like it hadn't been touched since the Second World War. He has always denied having anything to do with the crime and has refused to discuss his case with journalists, preferring to remain silent for the past six years. The loot was never found, but based on circumstantial evidence, Notarbartolo was sentenced to 10 years. The robbery was called the heist of the century, and even now the police can't explain exactly how it was done. It was protected by 10 layers of security, including infrared heat detectors, Doppler radar, a magnetic field, a seismic sensor, and a lock with 100 million possible combinations. The vault was thought to be impenetrable. They were accused of breaking into a vault two floors beneath the Antwerp Diamond Center and making off with at least $100 million worth of loose diamonds, gold, jewelry, and other spoils. In February 2003, Notarbartolo was arrested for heading a ring of Italian thieves. A silver Rolex peeks out from under his cuff, and a vertical strip of white soul patch drops down from his lower lip like an exclamation mark. Though he's an inmate and wears the requisite white prisoner jacket, Notarbartolo radiates a sunny Italian charm. Notarbartolo nods and smiles faintly, the laugh lines crinkling around his blue eyes. The other convicts in this eastern Belgian prison turn to look. Leonardo Notarbartolo strolls into the prison visiting room trailing a guard as if the guy were his personal assistant.
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