4 suspected Pink Panther fences arrested in Vienna hotel

Four suspected fences for the internationally-active Pink Panther jewel thief gang were arrested in a Vienna hotel last week, authorities revealed to the media Tuesday.

The four men aged between 35 and 40 had over half a million U.S. dollars worth of jewellery in their possession along with almost 65,000 dollars in cash, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BK) said at a press conference in Vienna.

Ewald Ebner of the BK said the arrests represent "the first time in Austria that a 'Pink Panther' distribution arm has been uncovered, and those involved identified, and arrested."

Amongst the stolen goods that were seized from the four suspects were 18 high-priced watches that were stolen during a robbery in Montreux, Switzerland in January. The most expensive of the watches is worth 60,000 dollars, the authorities said.

Lieutenant Colonel of the BK in Vienna, Robert Klug, said the BK had initially obtained information last week that a courier would be coming from Serbia to deliver expensive watches, following which he was sought out, and then observed as he crossed the border.

The 35-year-old then met with a 39-year-old Israeli national, and together they drove to a hotel. The 35-year-old took a paper bag inside with him, but later came out without it, leading the observing authorities to believe a sale had took place.

The man was arrested, along with the 39-year-old and a 40-year-old Belgian, who had just come down to the lobby in a lift. Special forces police then arrested the final suspect, a 37-year-old Israeli, in a hotel room, where he was found to have a suitcase with a double bottom, in which 25 high-value watches were found.

The authorities said the suspects were uncooperative, and are currently in custody facing charges of suspicion of membership of a criminal organization, and dealing in stolen goods. Endit