At 05:49, on September 23, 2009, a Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter took off from the roof of the G4S valuables depot in Västberga in Stockholm. In the helicopter were several masked robbers and over SEK 39 million in cash.
In just 31 minutes, the robbers got into the depot via the pyramid-shaped glass roof and then went down with ladders in the building. With explosive charges and angle grinders, they managed to force a cash stash in what was described as the country’s safest safe depository.
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Safa Kadhum was sentenced to eight years in prison for aggravated robbery. Since he was released, he has gone unpunished. Photo: Police/TTAlexander Eriksson was sentenced to eight years in prison for aggravated robbery. He too has gone unpunished since he was released. Photo: Police/TT
The loot – consisting of completely freshly struck banknotes – has never been recovered. Several people, including Safa Kadhum and the pilot Alexander Erikssonwere however convicted for their involvement in the crime that has gone down in history as one of Sweden’s most talked about robberies.
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Robbers from the real helicopter robbery were interviewed
Over the years, in documentary series, podcasts and books, the crime has been dissected and in the autumn of 2024 the first game series was released which would depict the planning and aftermath of the 31-minute robbery.
Under the auspices of Daniel Espinosaand based on interviews with the actual robbers and Jonas Bonniers novel of the same name, takes actors as such Mahmut Suvakci and Ardalan Esmaiili to the roles of robber “Helicopter Robbery”.
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Mahmut Suvakci plays the character Rami in “Helicopter Robbery”. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TTArdalan Esmaili plays the character Michel in the Netflix series. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT
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– It is very close to reality, I would say. Then no one has all the answers except those who did it. There are many secrets and a lot of mystery left about this. But what is so cool is that we have had to follow in the footsteps of those people. We got to follow the journey they took. Or at least experience a per thousand of it, Esmaili has told in an interview with King Magazinewhere he continued further:
– We filmed the robbery in Budapest where they built an exact replica of G4S and recreated Stockholm all around with the help of large screens. You quickly forgot that there were screens and it felt like standing there on the roof of the safe deposit box. I could almost see my apartment from there. It was incredibly powerful.
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The helicopter robbery pictures – this is what it looked like in real life
But what did it really look like when the actual helicopter robbery took place? News24 has compiled a series of images, from the police preliminary investigation as well as the media reporting that followed.
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At 05.18 the helicopter landed at the G4S value depot in Västberga in Stockholm. Here one of the masked robbers is seen next to the glass roof that will be their way into the building. Photo: The police/TT The glass was broken with the help of a sledgehammer. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT The robbers used ladders to get down into the depot. Photo: The police/TT Helicopter landed on the roof, but then circled above the building while the robbery was in progress. Photo: The police/TT The robbers used explosives to force doors in the building. Photo: The police/TTE of the robbers was caught on the surveillance cameras carrying an automatic weapon. During the trial, the prosecution claimed that the robber in question, who wore white shoes, was Safa Kadhum. No shots were fired during the robbery. Photo: The police/TT Using an angle cut, the robbers get into a cash store. Photo: Police/TTV The angle grinder used to saw open the “barrel cage” where cash was kept was still in the building. Photo: Police/TT The cash was packed into post bags. Photo: Police/TT Several bags were filled with cash. Photo: The police/TT The bags of money were later hoisted onto the roof. Photo: Police/TT A lot of cash was left behind, which is probably due to the robbers not being able to load the helicopter too heavily. Photo: The police/TT The police picket force later entered the G4S warehouse to evacuate the personnel who were in the building during the robbery. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TTInsatsstörkan on the roof of the safe deposit box. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TTU Around the same time as the first picket force entered the warehouse, helicopter pilot Alexander Eriksson was at the McDonald’s in Hägernäs north of Stockholm and ordered coffee, according to a review by TT. Photo: Police/TT The helicopter was found abandoned in Skavlöten the same day. The loot was gone and has never been found. Photo: Yvonne Åsell/SvD/TT
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