A team of armed robbers disguised as police officers to steal gold and other metals worth millions of dollars from an airport cargo terminal in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Several armed robbers who were dressed as police officers took two hostages and stole a trove of gold and other precious metals worth about $40 million (about ₦14.4 billion) from Sao Paulo international airport cargo terminal on Thursday. The suspects drove away with the valuables, which was bound for New York and Zurich, Reuters reported.
Brazil’s Federal Highway Police are still in search of the suspects. Security footage showed the suspects arriving at Guarulhos airport in a black pickup truck resembling Brazil’s federal police. Four masked men exited the vehicle, and at least one of them had a rifle. They proceeded to confront the airport workers and forced them to move gold in the pickup truck.
According to a police reports, the thieves left with about 1,650 pounds of gold and other precious metals.
The Brazilian news outlet Globo.com reported the thieves kept the dispatcher and his family hostage the night before the heist and were able to gain insider information. Following their escape, the vehicle was discarded in a nearby neighborhood.
An airport spokesperson did not comment on the hostages but said none of the other workers was injured during the robbery.
The airport is operated by GRU Airport, a consortium that includes Invepar, Airports Company South Africa, and state airport operator Infraero. Sao Paulo airport is one of the busiest airports in South America.
Watch the footage below:
