Air Canada is facing a major lawsuit over a gold heist that happened earlier this year, as the airline is being accused of acting recklessly…
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Brink’s sues Air Canada over Toronto Airport theft
Earlier this year, one of the biggest heists in Canadian history happened at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ). An Air Canada flight from Zurich was carrying a shipment worth around $15 million USD, which was supposed to be handed over to security firm Brink’s. However, all of the belongings, which included over 400kg of gold bars plus cash, ended up being stolen shortly after arriving at an airport facility.
More details are now emerging about what happened, as Brink’s is suing Air Canada over the loss, arguing that the airline was acting recklessly. Brink’s had been hired by a bank and precious metal company to coordinate the shipment of goods.
However, the goods were stolen 42 minutes after they were unloaded from a plane, before they were handed over to Brink’s. The lawsuit alleges that an unidentified person gained access to the airport warehouse where the valuables were kept. According to Brink’s:
“No security protocols or features were in place to monitor, restrict or otherwise regulate the unidentified individual’s access to the facilities.”
A person was allegedly able to enter the facility by showing an Air Canada employee an airway bill for an unrelated shipment. The shipment was then released to the individual, who “absconded with the cargo.”
Brink’s argues that the theft could have been prevented if Air Canada employees properly followed security guidelines, as no attempt was made to verify the waybill’s authenticity.
This case still remains unsolved by police
While Brink’s is suing Air Canada over the heist, the case remains unsolved by police. To me, this is wild on many levels, especially when you consider how valuable a lot of cargo is:
- Are there no cameras in the facility, so that the person who left with the shipment could be identified?
- In terms of the ease of theft, it’s not like a diamond was stolen here; we’re talking about 400kg of gold plus millions in cash, and that’s quite a bulky and heavy shipment
- Obviously I’m no investigator, but I have to imagine that this was a coordinated effort and that at least a few people turned a blind eye, because it’s hard to imagine there was just one person on the inside who managed to pull this off
So yeah, I’m not sure if it’s worse that this shipment was stolen in the first place, or that even after the fact, police haven’t been able to solve this.
Bottom line
Air Canada is being sued by Brink’s for $15 million USD over a heist that happened earlier this year at Toronto Airport, where a bunch of gold and cash were stolen. Someone managed to access the cargo with an airway bill for an unrelated shipment, and then stole it, without getting caught. Given that we’re talking about 400kg of gold and cash, that must have been quite a getaway…
What do you make of this Brink’s lawsuit against Air Canada?
Ask Gene Hackman! How he did it in "HEIST."
Montreal
Convention liability $1700 lol
I burst out laughing reading this, and also cried a little knowing the pains I've gone through.
This why buy Bitcoin
@John, Interesting , @1900/ounce it is over $24,000,000 but every article, even Forbes, says $15, mil
I bet on Brinks winning this one.
Something is off about the numbers here. 400 Kg of gold equates to 12,890 troy ounces. Gold is currently over $1900 a troy ounce, 1900 X 12890 comes out to over $24 million in value, plus whatever value of the cash. Why would Brinks sue Air Canada for less than the value of the shipment?
According to the price of gold today. 49000USD for 1kg, that equates to 19million, close to the brinks estimate and of course prices fluctuate since the date of the theft.
It is $61,900USD per KG , hasn't been below $50/gram in the last 12 month per gold price.org
Doesn't necessarily have to be 24k gold bars, could be a lower purity.
Like every other western company, Air Canada faced all kinds of instability in staffing during and after covid. Perhaps they didn't have security protocols but the lawsuit seems indicate there were and AC staff simply didn't follow them. THAT is indeed on AC. Handing over a shipment anywhere on the airport to someone that shouldn't have been there is a significant concern for any shipment but esp. for a high value shipment which should have...
Like every other western company, Air Canada faced all kinds of instability in staffing during and after covid. Perhaps they didn't have security protocols but the lawsuit seems indicate there were and AC staff simply didn't follow them. THAT is indeed on AC. Handing over a shipment anywhere on the airport to someone that shouldn't have been there is a significant concern for any shipment but esp. for a high value shipment which should have had been flagged for special handling.
Presumably there is insurance and Brinks doesn't want to take a hit on its policy and shouldn't.