Diamonds Stolen from Israel Bourse Event

RAPAPORT... A man allegedly stole a briefcase of diamonds worth tens ofthousands of dollars from the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) last week.The theft took place on Monday at InternationalDiamond Week in Israel (IDWI), which ran for three days on the trading floor ofthe Ramat Gan bourse. A man in a sharp suit calmly snatched the case from under anexhibitor's table, before walking away, according to surveillance footage publishedby Israeli broadcaster Kan (see Hebrew video below). IDE security officers quickly became aware the boxwas missing, investigated the incident, and passed on the relevant details toauthorities, the bourse said. Nine people from South America reportedly orchestrated theincident. They came to Israel specifically to carry out the alleged crime, andwere arrested later in the week while trying to leave the country via theEgyptian border, according to Kan. Thediamonds have been returned, the report added. "This was a very sophisticated job which enabled the thievesto get through the Israel Diamond Exchange security system, which is consideredthe best of its kind in the world," an IDE spokesperson told Rapaport News."The gang included nine suspects who, it is suspected, used fake passports,some of which were given entry into the bourse and others were not." More than 350 foreign buyers attended IDWI from more than 30countries, the exchange said.Main image: From footage showing the alleged thief taking the suitcase of diamonds. (Kan/YouTube)