Thieves have stolen gold bullion from Canada’s busiest airport
by Geoffrey Morgan
Canada’s national police force is investigating a heist at the country’s busiest airport that may have netted thieves millions of dollars in gold and other valuables.
Peel Regional Police said a container with more than C$20 million ($14.8 million) in gold and other items was taken from a cargo holding area at Pearson International Airport, just outside Toronto. The plane carrying the cargo landed there Monday, police said.
Earlier, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed to Bloomberg that they were looking into a gold robbery. Gold mined in Canada often transits through Pearson.
The Toronto Sun reported earlier that the heist included 3,600 pounds of gold. The newspaper said the theft was likely linked to organized crime, citing an unnamed police source. At current prices, 3,600 pounds of gold would be worth more than $100 million.
But a representative for the police force in Peel, where the airport in located, said at a news conference that the container held other high-value items, not just gold, and gave an total estimated value of just over C$20 million.
The investigation is continuing.
