The world’s most brazen heists

THE GREEN VAULT, Germany, $1.59 billion

Thieves disabled the alarm system at the Dresden Museum in 2019. They stole 18thcentury diamond brooches, a gem-encrusted sword and royal jewels that have never been recovered.

THE MILLENNIUM DOME, United Kingdom, $1.11 billion

In 2000, thieves planned a raid on an exhibit of rare diamonds, including the 203-carat De Beers Millennium Star, one of the most perfect gems on Earth. The criminals had planned to escape with a haul worth close to $1 billion, but the police were watching them and they didn’t even make it out the door.

THE CARLTON HOTEL, France, $167 million

Jewels belonging to an Israeli billionaire were on show at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 in a room guarded by unarmed men. A thief strolled in, slid about $167 million worth of diamond jewels into his briefcase and walked out.

He’s never been caught.

ANTWERP DIAMOND CENTRE, Belgium, $173 million

In 1999, an Italian swindler rented a space opposite the Antwerp Diamond Centre and spent four years learning the alarm and security system. In 2003 the vault was robbed of millions of dollars’ worth of gold, diamonds and cash. Police also found a half-eaten sandwich from which they got a DNA match and captured the swindler and his accomplices.