Curacao police arrest 7 in $11.5M gold bar heist

Police in the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao have arrested seven suspects in connection with the recent heist of 70 gold bars worth an estimated $11.5 million.

 

   Police spokesman Reginald Huggins said Friday that one of the men is from Bonaire, three are from Venezuela and the remainder from Curacao. One of the suspects was later released while the others are still being interrogated, Huggins said.

 

   One of the men arrested is the owner of a local jewelry store, while at least two other suspects were arrested at the jeweler's house.

 

   The arrests occurred Thursday and come nearly a month after gunmen pretending to be police stole 216 kilograms (476 pounds) of gold bars from a fishing boat in Curacao.

 

   Authorities have not said where the gold was being delivered, but one of the ship's crew members said they were delivering the gold to an unidentified company in Curacao.