Arrests made in $20M gold heist at Pearson Airport in Mississauga, Ontario
Published April 16, 2024 at 2:54 pm
Arrests have been made in the high-profile and brazen theft of more than $20 million in gold last year from Pearson Airport in Mississauga in what’s been described as the largest heist in Canadian history.
Peel Regional Police announced the arrests in a brief release this afternoon, adding they’ll reveal details at a press conference planned for early Wednesday morning at a police facility in Brampton.
While not releasing any additional information this afternoon, police did note that a special agent from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — more commonly known as the ATF — will be at tomorrow morning’s press conference.
That suggests a strong link south of the border to the massive heist on April 17, 2023 that quickly garnered international headlines and left Peel detectives scrambling to find leads for the better part of a year in what a number of experts described as a well-organized and professional robbery.
Experts suggested earlier the thieves who pulled off the huge heist likely also had insider knowledge of the airport and its operations.
On the evening of April 17, 2023, the culprits made off with the millions in gold and other valuables by accessing an Air Canada cargo facility that housed the goods that had just arrived on a flight from Europe.
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Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah and Det. Sgt. Mike Mavity will also be on hand at Wednesday’s press conference, which is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.
The Pearson gold heist has captured the attention of the public as it’s rare on Canadian soil for thieves to make off with such huge amounts of money, gold or other valuables.
By comparison, just over a decade ago, 3,000 tonnes of Canadian maple syrup, valued at $18.7 million, was stolen from a storage facility in Quebec. That’s become known as the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist.
It was the largest gold robbery in the country’s history at the time. The gold was headed for Montreal.