Armed raiders pulled off a €75 million gem heist in a raid on a Dutch airport, police have confirmed.
The thieves, disguised as airline workers, made off with a van loaded with diamonds.
Officers based at Schiphol Airport, close to Amsterdam, said the gang hijacked a KLM cargo vehicle loaded with high-value goods as it drove across a runway at around 10 a.m. yesterday
"We believe the gang arrived in a car and forced their way into a KLM vehicle loaded with high-value goods," said a spokesman for the Dutch Royal Marechausse.
"They were armed, but it is not clear if they were carrying guns or other weapons. A team of 25 officers are making inquiries and attempting to discover how much was stolen."
It is understood that the cargo was bound for the Belgian city Antwerp, Europe's diamond capital, and worth at least €75 million.
Police said that the KLM van was later recovered in the city of Hoofddorp and confirmed it is being scoured for DNA evidence.