NEW YORK: Canadian police are investigating a gold heist at Toronto's Pearson International Airport after millions of dollars of valuables went missing.
Thieves made off with more than $20 million Canadian (US$14 million) in gold and other valuables on Monday, police revealed on Thursday, reported German news agency (dpa).
Regional police inspector Stephen Duivesteyn told the Toronto Star a container was stolen after being unloaded from a plane at a cargo facility.
“What I can say is that the container (had) a high-value shipment. It did contain gold but was not exclusive to gold and contained other items of monetary value,“ Duivesteyn told the Star.
Duivesteyn said police believed the theft was an isolated incident, and “very rare.” No arrests had yet been made.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) said in a brief statement that thieves accessed the public side of a warehouse, outside of its primary security line.
“This did not involve access to Toronto Pearson itself and did not pose a threat to passengers or GTAA staff.”
Gold mined in the country is frequently held in Pearson before it is flown overseas. Almost half of Canada's air cargo goes through the airport.
The theft marks one of the biggest in Canada's history, including a maple syrup heist in 2011 and 2012 where thieves siphoned off 9,600 barrels of maple syrup valued at between $15 and $20 million, from a warehouse near Quebec. -Bernama
