The Bluish Diamond Affair: The Gem Heist That Became A Diplomatic Nightmare

From The Daily Beast, May 12, 2018:

A gem heist carried out past times a Thai gardener against his rich Saudi prince boss led to a police line investigation, murder, to a greater extent than theft, in addition to a diplomatic rift betwixt the 2 nations.

At the time, it must bring seemed similar the perfect plan. He was an unassuming Thai gardener working for a rich Saudi prince, who had to a greater extent than than his fair portion of fine jewels.

Kriangkrai Techamong had the access, the chutzpah, in addition to an larn out strategy. Surely Prince Faisal bin Fahd wouldn’t lady friend a few pieces — in addition to past times “a few,” Kriangkrai had his oculus assault nearly $20 ane chiliad 1000 worth of bling.

The Blue Diamond Affair, every bit the incident has drib dead known, is straightaway the materials of legend, a heist every bit good crazy fifty-fifty for the large covert in addition to ane that would fix a novel measure for “get rich quick” schemes.

Kriangkrai was initially successful, although his invention included fleeing to his domicile country, in addition to thence it’s non every bit if he expected to escape suspicion entirely. But ane time dorsum inwards Thailand, things started to drib dead really wrong.

For over 2 decades, the fallout from the thing has raged on. In the aftermath of the theft, the shape of characters has expanded to include Thai officials behaving badly, murdered Saudi investigators, in addition to a major diplomatic rift betwixt the 2 nations.

In the end, virtually none of the players bring faced serious consequences in addition to much of the master loot—including a rare 50-carat blueish diamond that is said to hold upward fifty-fifty larger than the infamous Hope Diamond—remain missing.

It all started inwards 1989 on the grounds of a palace inwards Riyadh. Kriangkrai sure wasn’t the kickoff employee to dream of coming into a windfall on the job, or the kickoff to dream of righting the vast economical disparity betwixt employer in addition to employee. But he is the precisely ane who has in addition to thence dramatically turned those visions into reality — or at to the lowest degree tried to.

Under the comprehend of darkness ane night, the gardener lay his invention into action. He scaled the exterior wall of the palace, stole inwards through a second-floor window, in addition to liberated 200 pounds worth of jewelry from the household unit of measurement safe.

While the exact details of the theft bring never been revealed, around accounts claim that he absconded amongst his booty past times filling upward the handbag of a vacuum cleaner in addition to wheeling it out. (He wouldn’t bring looked alone out of house if spotted; Kriangkrai sometimes pitched inwards every bit a palace janitor.)

He had captured a prize that included non precisely the famed Blue Diamond, but a James Todd, the mailman who delivered the diamond to the Smithsonian, patently had his leg crushed inwards a truck accident before long thereafter. He also suffered a caput injury inwards a dissever accident. Oh, also, his solid burned down.

I'm non sure if all that adds upward to the Hope's $250 ane chiliad 1000 estimated value though.