Prosecutors release details of million-franc art heist in Geneva
By Jan de Boer
The prosecutor's office in Geneva has released the first-ever details about a daring heist committed against the Baur Foundation's art gallery in 2019. In a story straight out of a Hollywood film, Swiss police revealed that 3,6 million francs worth of artefacts were stolen in the robbery and that the alleged perpetrators face extradition back to Switzerland.
3,6 million francs worth of priceless art stolen in Geneva
On June 1, 2019, thieves broke into the Baur Foundation Museum of Far Eastern Arts in the centre of Geneva. They left the building carrying a priceless bottle from the Ming Dynasty and two antique plates with an estimated value of 3,6 million Swiss francs. Much to the dismay of the emergency services, the suspects made good their escape.
Three years on, on May 20, the Geneva Public Prosecutor told the Tribune de Genève that they had identified two people they suspect of carrying out the heist. Weeks before the announcement, the Federal Office of Justice in Bern sent an extradition request to the British government to allow the two suspects to be sent to Switzerland to stand trial.
Art heist suspects face up to 10 years in prison
According to The Daily Telegraph, two brothers are suspected of carrying out the bold theft. They also speculated that a shady third person - a potential mastermind behind the robbery - may also be involved.
On May 17, a judge in the UK approved the brother’s extradition back to Switzerland, although they still have time to appeal. The two are already facing another extradition request from Japan over another matter. The Ministry of the Interior is yet to comment on the brother's extradition. If convicted, the duo face up to 10 years in prison.
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Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016.
While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more