Thieves Seize Dutch Airline's Armored Car

Feb. 25, 2005
Theft occurred in airport's 'secure' area after thieves threatened guards to obtain truck

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- Thieves hijacked an armored car from the KLM cargo ramp at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport Friday and made off with millions of euros (dollars) in diamonds and jewelry, the Dutch airline said.

The thieves seized the vehicle after threatening the guards, the airline said.

No one was injured in the heist. An airline spokesman declined to say whether the thieves were armed.

"It was a secured area of the airport, so it's a big question how those people could get there," airline spokesman Frank Houben said.

The armored car was recovered later in Hoofdorp, a business town just outside the airport perimeter. Dutch police were dusting the vehicle for fingerprints and searching for other clues, Houben said.