The idea of theft allegedly arose on a school trip
“The idea wasn’t mine.” It came from the enthusiasm of “another person” from a school trip to the Green Vault and the Green Diamond exhibited there, the plan had been developed for over a year. “I’m the one with the flashlight, the other one told me where to go”. With this statement, the 29-year-old revised his admission from March 2022. His confession shows that his contribution to the crime was “significantly more important” than stated at the time. He was like that with two of the exploration tours been to Dresden to prepare. He also said: “I was amazed that you could move so freely and unnoticed there and that nobody noticed.”
I was amazed that one could move so freely and unnoticed there and that nobody noticed.
Motives of two “Schmiere” standers: thirst for adventure, money
A 26-year-old and a 23-year-old said they only stood “Schmiere” – at the level house and at the residential palace. For the 23 year old the burglary was a “real adventure”. He wanted to prove himself to others and be the center of attention. “I didn’t think about the consequences.” He only became aware of the importance of the jewels during the course of the process. “I did everything I could to ensure that the jewels that I had control over returned.”
The 26-year-old confessed to having set fire to the power distributor for the old town. He took part in the theft to finance his drug use. He also claims to have been “cooked” on the day of the crime. He now regrets the act very much and is glad that at least part of the loot was returned, he explained.
The court deal with prosecutors and defense attorneys
Shortly before Christmas 2022, most of the jewelry was returned through a lawyer for the 29-year-old defendant. The stolen jewelery has an estimated total value of 113 million euros. Four of the six accused agreed to the agreement reached a week ago about a milder sentence, a fifth did not. A sixth defendant denies involvement with reference to an alibi. Two of the accused are currently serving their youth sentences for stealing the 100-kilo gold coin from Berlin’s Bode Museum in 2017.
The Germans, brothers and cousins, have had to answer for serious gang theft, arson and particularly serious arson since the end of January 2022. Because the men from the Berlin clan milieu are said not only to have been involved in the theft, but according to the indictment also set fire to a getaway car in an underground car park in the Pieschen district, thereby endangering people in the apartments above.