Dubai police reported on 18/8 that a businessman had brought the pink diamond from Europe. The thieves tricked him into believing a wealthy individual was interested in purchasing the gem.

To build trust, the suspects rented luxury vehicles, scheduled meetings at upscale hotels, and even hired a renowned diamond expert to appraise the stone. These actions convinced the businessman to remove the diamond from his secure store.

The stolen pink diamond in Dubai. Photo: Dubai Media Office

The thieves then lured him to a villa under the pretense of meeting the buyer. Once the diamond was displayed, the suspects snatched it and fled.

"I am in trouble. I went to meet clients to sell a diamond. They checked it and now it has been stolen," the businessman said in an emergency call released by the Dubai Media Office.

Dubai authorities stated that the suspects, all Asian men, were arrested "thanks to the efforts of the specialized and field teams, as well as the support of the latest AI technologies." The diamond was en route to an Asian country at the time of recovery.

"Dubai Police General HQ foiled the theft of an extremely rare pink diamond worth $25 million," police said, adding that the thieves had planned the heist for a year.

The businessman expressed surprise when police called to inform him of the arrests and the diamond's recovery that morning.

The 21.25-carat pink diamond possesses unique clarity and is considered virtually irreplaceable, with only a 0.01% chance of finding another of its kind. Dubai is a major hub for diamond trading, and UAE authorities pride themselves on security and stability due to their robust surveillance system.

Huyen Le (CBS News, Gulf Times)