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Suspects Arrested in Theft of Large 2007 Gold Maple Leaf Coin

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Earlier this month, approximately 300 heavily armed German police officers and Special Forces members raided several homes and 13 different buildings, mostly in the Neukölln district, to try and locate the suspects of the 2007 Gold Maple Leaf that was stolen back in March of this year. At least two men were arrested, ranging from 18 to 20 years old.

According to police spokesman Winfrid Wenzel, he believes the two arrested suspects are the individuals on the surveillance footage that was captured at the Hackerscher Markt train station at about 3 a.m. on March 27, 2017, just minutes before the burglary took place. The video shows three men dressed in black, wearing ski masks. Another suspect is Dennis W., who was a security guard of the Bode Museum where the coin was stolen. The security guard had recently started working at the museum just weeks before the robbery took place. On March 8, 2017, approximately three weeks before the robbery, Dennis W. was also identified stealing gasoline, and had tools in his car that could have been used for the robbery, including a brochure of the Bode Museum. Three of the suspects did not have criminal backgrounds but have been linked to a well-known crime ring in the area.

During the raid, police searched for the coin and any other information or clues that can help them locate it. Authorities indicate that they believe the coin may have already been melted down or sold. They did manage to seize several vehicles, four shotguns and a large sum of money described as being in the six-figure range. They seized some of the suspects clothing and shoes, hoping to find clues or traces of gold on them. Authorities also found a knife, which may have been linked to the burglary. They are hoping that these items will provide further details on the robbery and hopefully the recovery of the large 2007 Maple Leaf gold coin. The suspects are believed to be from a large, well-known Arab family with alleged links to organized crime in Berlin. Nine other crime ring members are also being questioned regarding the robbery, as well as a jewelry store in Berlin. Authorities believe the jewelry store may have also been involved in the possible sale of the coin.

The 2007 Maple Leaf weighed 100 kilograms (220 pounds) and was composed of pure 24 karat gold, with a melt value worth over $4 million. It was stolen back in March 27, 2017, between 3:20 a.m.–3:50 a.m. from the Bode Museum. The coin itself has a $1 million face value, although it’s worth much more in gold content alone. Let’s hope that with these new leads the authorities will still be able to find the coin.

Bullion: Gold Articles Miscellaneous