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19 December 2007
MADRID – Robbers have netted one of the biggest hauls in Spain’s history, taking jewellery worth about EUR 4 million in a spectacular Christmas raid, the daily El Mundo reported Wednesday.
The masked men, who were believed to be Spaniards, forced an armoured vehicle to stop by hitting it with their four-wheel drive vehicle in Coslada near Madrid late Monday.
The armoured vehicle was transporting 12 boxes stuffed with jewellery, gold and luxury watches, which were to be distributed to jewellers in the Madrid region.
The robbers forced the driver and the security guard inside to get out at gunpoint, tied their hands, blindfolded them and shut them inside the four-wheel drive, which they later abandoned in a Madrid neighbourhood.
One of the victims managed to free himself and alerted police, but the robbers had disappeared with their treasure. Police were investigating whether they had acted on a tip from an insider in the jewellery business.
[Copyright dpa 2007]
Subject: Spanish news