Four men face Berlin trial over giant gold coin heist

BERLIN: Four Berlin men charged over the spectacular museum theft of a giant commemorative gold coin called the “Big Maple Leaf” and

� valued at 3.75mil (RM18mil), stood trial in Berlin.

Police have found no trace of the 100kg Canadian coin since the elaborate late-night heist in March 2017 from the German capital’s Bode Museum, located close to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s apartment.

Authorities presume the nearly pure-gold treasure, with a face value of one million Canadian dollars, “was either cut into small pieces or taken abroad”, said Berlin police at the time.

The three chief suspects in the theft arrested in July 2017 are brothers Ahmed R., 20, and Wayci R., 23, and their cousin Wissam R., 21.

If found guilty of theft, they would face jail terms of up to 10 years.

Also in the dock in the juvenile trial is a former museum security guard, 20-year-old Dennis W., who allegedly acted as the inside man, giving the others crucial information for the break-in.

The three alleged thieves, who are registered as unemployed, are not in custody.

Berlin’s B.Z. daily and other German media reported they are members of the Remmo extended family with roots in Lebanon, several of whose members have been linked to organised crime.

The city’s police last year targeted the Remmo clan with the seizure of 77 properties worth a total of €

9.3mil (RM44mil), charging that they were purchased with the proceeds of various crimes, including a bank robbery. — AFP