Suspect in 1.5 million zloty Warsaw jewellery heist caught at Croatia-Serbia border
A 46-year-old man suspected of a brazen 2024 robbery at a Westfield Mokotów jewellery store was detained as he tried to cross the border between Croatia and Serbia, Warsaw police said on 10 July 2026.
The 86-second heist
On 30 December 2024, the day before New Year's Eve, three masked men stormed a jewellery store in the Westfield Mokotów shopping centre. Just before 11 a.m., they used tear gas to disable a security guard, then threatened saleswomen with an object resembling a firearm. Using hammers and heavy tools, they smashed display cases and grabbed jewellery worth approximately 1.5 million złoty. The entire raid lasted only 86 seconds. Disguised as food delivery workers, the robbers fled on electric scooters. A bag they left behind allowed police to recover part of the loot; no staff or shoppers were seriously injured.
Months of painstaking investigation
The Warsaw Metropolitan Police launched a large-scale inquiry, with the Criminal Division working alongside the District Prosecutor's Office. Detectives interviewed witnesses, analysed forensic traces and scrutinised hundreds of hours of security footage.
Over the following months, officers from the Criminal Division of the Warsaw Metropolitan Police, in cooperation with the Warsaw District Prosecutor's Office, conducted a painstaking and extremely demanding investigation. The result of meticulous analysis of evidence, hundreds of hours of work and consistently pursued actions was the identification of the perpetrators.
- Three masked men rob Westfield Mokotów jewellery store in 86 seconds, escaping on electric scooters.
- Police analyse evidence, identify suspects through months of intensive work and international cooperation.
- 46-year-old suspect arrested at Croatia-Serbia border.
International arrest and gang links
The breakthrough came on 10 July 2026, when one of the wanted men was stopped at the border between Croatia and Serbia.
Thanks to intensive international cooperation, one of the suspects was detained as he tried to cross the Croatia-Serbia border. He is a 46-year-old man.
Police spokesperson Kamil Sobótka told Radio ZET that the suspect fell into the hands of the authorities at the crossing. Unofficial reports by tvn24.pl, citing sources close to the investigation, indicate that investigators have already identified the remaining two perpetrators and know which other jewellery stores in Europe they targeted. The same sources suggest the trio belongs to the Pink Panthers, a notorious international network of thieves specialised in luxury jewellery heists; most of its members come from the former Yugoslavia.
What comes next
Warsaw prosecutors have not yet disclosed the exact charges the 46-year-old will face, but formal extradition and criminal proceedings are expected. The international cooperation that led to the arrest will continue as Polish authorities work with partners abroad to locate the remaining suspects. The investigation is still active, and police have not ruled out further arrests.
