Milan Poparić
| Milan Poparić | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1978 (age 37–38) or 1979 (age 36–37) Bosnia |
| Nationality | Bosnian |
| Allegiance | Pink Panthers |
Milan Poparić (born 1978/1979) is a Bosnian criminal, primarily a jewel thief.[1] He is known for a dramatic escape from prison in July 2013. He has been identified by police as a member of a gang of jewel thieves called the Pink Panthers.[2]
Career
Poparić is a known member and suspected leader[3] of the international gang of jewel thieves called the Pink Panthers, who were given that name after hiding a diamond in face cream, similar to a theft portrayed in the movie The Return of the Pink Panther.[4][5] The Pink Panthers have been said to have stolen around $436 million since 1999.[1]
Poparić was imprisoned for a sentence of six years and eight months in 2009 for the robbery of Swiss jewelry in the city of Neuchatel.[6] He was imprisoned in Orbe[1] but not in the high-security area; a communication officer in the prison said, "We were never told...that Poparic was a member of Pink Panther group"[7] and that had they known, he would have been kept in a different section.[7]
Escape
Poparić escaped with Adrian Albrecht, a Swiss man accused of robbery, arson, and money laundering.[1] The escape involved two accomplices outside of the prison who rammed the prison gate and subdued the guards by firing AK-47s.[1] The guards were armed with "simple handguns", to which the AK-47s were superior.[8] Poparić and Albrecht then climbed over the barbed wire with ladders brought by the accomplices,[2] got into a van, and left.[3]
Poparić was the third member of the Pink Panthers to escape from a prison in Switzerland between May and July 2013, and his escape was described as having "resembled a scene out of a summer action film".[9]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 ""Pink Panther" jewel thief escapes Swiss prison". CBS News. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- 1 2 Vandoorne, Saskya & Smith-Spark, Laura (26 July 2013). "'Pink Panther' escapes in armed Swiss prison break with fellow inmate". CNN. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- 1 2 Mount, Harry (30 July 2013). "Why no one can stop the Pink Panther jewel thieves: As brutal as they're cunning, they're the gang of 200 ex-soldiers who've struck across the world". Daily Mail. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ↑ Allen, Peter (20 June 2009). "Three suspected Pink Panther gang members arrested in Monaco". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
- ↑ "'Pink panther' jewel thief escapes Swiss jail". BBC News. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ↑ Hartman, Ben (30 July 2013). "Paging Inspector Clouseau". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- 1 2 Jovanovic, Dragana (26 July 2013). "'Pink Panther' Makes Spectacular Escape From Swiss Prison". ABC News. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ↑ Mccan, Jaymi (26 July 2013). "Notorious 'Pink Panther' jewel thief escapes from prison after being freed by raiders armed with AK-47s". Daily Mail. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ↑ Schapiro, Rich (26 July 2013). "'Pink Panther' jewel thief escapes in dramatic prison break from Swiss jail". New York Daily News. Retrieved 8 August 2013.