Venice, Italy – On June 14, 2021, 8 people were arrested for attempting to commit a robbery at a jewelry store in 2017.
The eight suspects were members of an Estonian gang that robbed high-end stores in Europe. In March 2017, members of the gang detonated smoke bombs in Plaza San Marco in Venice. This was done to divert the attention of the public and law enforcement, so that the suspects could commit the robbery.
The smoke caused tourists to flee the scene. Some individuals thought this was a terrorist attack. The robbery was thwarted after a tourist warned police who were nearby on patrol. The suspects then escaped. They were arrested in Austria, Estonia, and Findland. In 2016 and 2017, the gang committed robberies in Corsica and Austria, which are estimated to have resulted in them stealing 1 million euros worth of merchandise.
Watch the video below to see footage from the attempted robbery.