Early in the morning of September 23, 2009, at 05:21, the police were alerted that a helicopter had landed on the roof of G4S’s value depot in Västberga in southern Stockholm.
The robbers used the helicopter to get to the depot, smashed the skylight and went down with ladders. Armed with automatic weapons and explosives, they entered the premises and brought money up to the helicopter using ropes.
Millions disappeared without a trace
When the police arrive at the scene, the robbers are still in the premises. While the national task force is on its way, the helicopter takes off with 39 million kroner – which is still missing without a trace. As part of the robbers’ carefully planned diversionary maneuver, a bag with the word “bomb” was placed at the police helicopter base on Värmdö so they could not take off and follow.
The robbers’ helicopter had been stolen from Roslagen’s flying club and the helicopter was later found abandoned north of Stockholm.
Employees inside the premises tell
Several employees were in the premises during the robbery, but no one is said to have been physically injured. But a pregnant woman was there and she thought she was going to miscarry.
– The sound level, it rises with each explosion. It gets worse, it gets louder. Handles fly, and pieces fly in from the wall. There are a lot of people who break up. They start to cry and think about their children. Some say they don’t want to die. Some take out pictures of their children and cry, they want to see their children again, says an employee during the trial.
Ten people were charged with involvement in the robbery, and seven of them were convicted. However, the police believe that around 20 people must have been involved in the robbery.