US$65m stolen in Brazil heist

BRASILIA – Thieves tunnelled into a Brazilian Central Bank branch to steal US$65 million (about N$422,5 million), officials said on Monday.

The country’s biggest-ever bank heist was one of the largest in the world. Thieves penetrated the Banco Central branch in the northeastern city of Fortaleza over the weekend after digging an 80-metre tunnel, the bank said in a statement.They carted out 13,5 tonnes in notes without setting off alarms, police said.”There were movement sensors in the safe and security cameras, which were not activated,” police said.Police said the thieves appeared to have made off with at least US$65 million.Banco Central said the robbers opened five containers with 50-real notes, each worth US$21, 60.The robbers operated from a nearby house where they created a fictitious gardening company, which allowed them to get rid of earth they dug without raising suspicion, police said.The tunnel was four metres underground.Brazil’s previous record bank heist took place in 1999, when robbers made off with 37 million reals (about US$16 million) from Banespa bank in Sao Paulo, according to Folha Online.- Nampa-AFPThieves penetrated the Banco Central branch in the northeastern city of Fortaleza over the weekend after digging an 80-metre tunnel, the bank said in a statement.They carted out 13,5 tonnes in notes without setting off alarms, police said.”There were movement sensors in the safe and security cameras, which were not activated,” police said.Police said the thieves appeared to have made off with at least US$65 million.Banco Central said the robbers opened five containers with 50-real notes, each worth US$21, 60.The robbers operated from a nearby house where they created a fictitious gardening company, which allowed them to get rid of earth they dug without raising suspicion, police said.The tunnel was four metres underground.Brazil’s previous record bank heist took place in 1999, when robbers made off with 37 million reals (about US$16 million) from Banespa bank in Sao Paulo, according to Folha Online.- Nampa-AFP