103. The Antwerp Diamond Heist

Murder They Wrote with Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling

BBC

True Crime, Comedy

4.3 • 922 Ratings

🗓️ 26 January 2026

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 2003, approximately $100-million dollars-worth of loot was stolen from a high-security vault in Antwerp. Iain digs into this case, which was solved – in part – by a half-eaten salami sandwich!

Murder They Wrote with Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling is available twice a week on BBC Sounds.

Subscribe now so you never miss an episode. Email us at lauraandiain@bbc.co.uk

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	BBC Sounds, Music, Radio Podcasts.
0:05.7	Hello, you're about to listen to a BBC podcast, and I'm Ed Gamble, host of another BBC podcast, The Traitors Uncloaked.
0:12.7	But my show is available only on BBC Sounds, just like Ellis and John's Saturday bonus episodes,
0:18.2	The Pop Top Ten podcast with Scott Mills and Rylan, and comedy specials
0:22.2	from the likes of Harriet Kemsley, Susie Ruffle and Rommashranganathan.
0:25.9	However, and maybe I'm biased, it's really all about the traitors uncoaked.
0:30.3	So for a whole bunch of exclusive scoops and podcasts, listen only on BBC Sounds.
0:36.1	We are beginning today's case in Belgium, in a city considered to be the world's diamond capital, Antwerp.
0:44.1	We're at the headquarters of a specialised police force known as the Diamond Squad.
0:49.7	The squad is headed by a man named Akem de Bruker.
0:53.3	It's the morning of Monday, February 17th, 2003.
0:56.9	Ackham has just arrived at the office. He's ready for a
1:00.0	cup at coffee and a gentle start to his
1:02.1	week. As soon as he opens the door, however,
1:04.5	he knows he won't be getting that.
1:06.4	Ackham spots his colleague, Patrick Pais,
1:09.3	putting on his coat, ready to head out.
1:11.7	No time for coffee today, Ackham jokes.
1:14.4	We just got a call from the Diamond District.
1:16.4	Patrick replies, there's been a robbery.
1:18.6	A save has been broken open.
1:21.1	The two detectives jump in their car and kick the sirens into action.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.