Thieves pull off daring heist of Swedish crown jewels

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Europe

Thieves stole several of Sweden’s crown jewels this week in a daring daytime heist after which they fled by motorboat.

Two crowns and an orb from the 17th century were snatched from a cathedral in Strangnas, about an hour west of the capital Stockholm, on Tuesday, police said.

The robbers then made their getaway in a motorboat that was waiting just a couple of hundred meters away on lake Malaren, Sweden's third biggest lake, police said.

The thieves, who have not been identified, and the jewels are being sought internationally via Interpol, Swedish police spokesman Stefan Dangardt said, noting the objects were a "national treasure" and would likely be "very difficult to sell."

The priceless artifacts belonged to King Karl IX and his wife Queen Christina and had been on display in a locked glass cabinet in Strangnas Cathedral.

King Karl IX's crown is made of gold and features crystals and pearls, while Christina's is smaller and made of gold, precious stones and pearls.

July 31, 2018: A cordoned zone after Sweden’s royal jewels were stolen in Strangnas cathedral, west of Stockholm. /VCG Photo

Police are now publicizing the theft to try to recover the valuables.

"We want to spread information and pictures of these items so that they can be identified as stolen objects," police spokesman Thomas Agnevik said.

"What usually happens with this type of object is that they are recovered sooner or later, because there are very few people who are prepared to handle such items," Agnevik said.

"We have high hopes of getting them back."

The theft occurred just before noon on Tuesday, and police quickly had helicopters, patrols, and search dogs looking for the thieves but their efforts have so far proved fruitless, Dangardt said.

One witness told daily Aftonbladet he saw two men dash from the building toward a motorboat waiting on Lake Malaren.

"The two men hurriedly jumped on board and it sped off," he said. "I knew immediately they were burglars because of the way they were behaving."

Similar heists have occurred before. In 2013, King Johan III's burial regalia was stolen from Vasteras Cathedral.

It was recovered several days later in a garbage bag left on a countryside road, following an anonymous tip.

(Top picture: The Swedish Royal Family's crown jewels from the 17th century are seen in this undated handout photo obtained on August 1, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP ,Reuters