STOCKHOLM — With cinematic flourish, the masked robbers dropped from a helicopter onto the roof of a Swedish cash depot before dawn, broke into the building through a glass pyramid, set off explosions to get to the millions inside and escaped by hoisting themselves and their haul back up on rope lines.
All in 20 minutes, and all while Stockholm police were grounded by a fake bomb planted outside their own helicopter hangar.
Sweden has had its share of high-profile heists against cash-storage facilities, post offices and armored cars in recent years, but police said Wednesday’s commando-style robbery was the first to use a helicopter.
A nationwide manhunt was launched for the suspects. Investigators think at least 10 professional outlaws were involved.
The company that owns the high-security facility, G4S PLC, said the thieves made off with “an unconfirmed sum of money” and offered a reward.
Swedish criminologist Leif G.W. Persson told Swedish news agency TT that there normally would have been about $150 million stored there.
The attack could lead to ATMs in the Stockholm area running out of cash, said Dick Malmlund, head of security at the Swedish Trade Federation.
Persson said the robbers likely got help from a current or former employee. “You always need an insider in this kind of crime,” Persson said.
Two men were detained for questioning later Wednesday in Stockholm, but police stressed it wasn’t clear whether, or how, they were involved.
