The mastermind of the biggest diamond robbery in the history of the Netherlands arrested in Ibiza

The police have arrested in Ibiza the mastermind of the largest jewelery and diamond robbery in the history of the Netherlands, an assault that was perpetrated in 2005 at Amsterdam airport by a large group of thieves who stole precious stones valued at 72 million dollars. . The now arrested person, Errol HV, 59, was already arrested in 2017 in Valencia along with five other people and, after being extradited, was sentenced in 2021 to seven years in prison. But he fled after being released while waiting for the appeal he filed against the conviction to be resolved. Now, with the sentence recently confirmed, he has been arrested again in a spectacular operation on a rural road on the island, in which agents from the National Police fugitive group detained the fugitive at gunpoint, whose physical appearance had been changed considerably.

The robbery took place on February 25, 2005 at Schipol airport (Amsterdam), when the detainee along with other people stole a large amount of jewelry and diamonds, worth more than 72 million dollars after assaulting an armored vehicle of the KLM airline on a maximum security runway at the aforementioned airfield. The perpetrators of the robbery used firearms and used great violence against their victims to perpetrate the events. During the trial of those arrested for this robbery, prosecutors described the assault as “the biggest robbery in the history” of the country. Part of the loot was later recovered in a vehicle, but a portion of the merchandise valued at around 40 million euros remained unlocated. The shipment of jewels and diamonds was destined for Antwerp.

Errol HV has now been located after an investigation that began in November last year, when the authorities of the Netherlands informed those of Spain of the possibility that the fugitive was residing on the island of Ibiza. The fugitive had a European arrest and surrender warrant in force for robbery with violence and intimidation using firearms.

The fugitive was located in an Ibizan town, in whose vicinity the agents set up a fence. This Tuesday afternoon, the wanted man was seen leaving the home in an SUV, in which he was the co-pilot. After several kilometers of following, the police stopped the vehicle, took the co-pilot out of the car and handcuffed him, all at gunpoint. Errol HV was dressed in paint-stained shorts, a T-shirt, and a sweatshirt.

“The researchers observed his great physical change compared to the photographs they had at their disposal. The arrested person had a much more youthful and thinner appearance, not ruling out the possibility that he had undergone some aesthetic touch-ups to change his appearance and not be easily recognized,” the police say in a press release distributed this morning.

Once arrested, the fugitive was placed at the disposal of the Central Investigative Court number 6 of the National Court, which will have to decide on his extradition.