Antwerp, the quiet Belgian city just a few kilometers from the Dutch border and about 45 km from Brussels, is not just a typical European town it is the beating heart of the global diamond industry. Since the 16th century, merchants from around the world have flocked there, and its diamond district has come to dominate over 80% of the world’s diamond trade. It was always said that stealing diamonds from Antwerp was impossible until the heist that changed everything.

On February 15, 2003, the world discovered that the most secure vaults in the world similar to the gold vaults at Fort Knox had been hit in the largest theft in modern history. The story began with an Italian man named Leonardo Notarbartolo, the leader of a professional criminal gang from Turin.

He didn’t enter Antwerp as a stranger, but as a disguised expert. He rented a small office in the Antwerp World Diamond Center and presented himself as a modest diamond trader dressed in fine suits, sipping coffee alongside the major dealers, engaging in casual daily conversations. No one suspected that behind the smiling face was the mastermind of the "heist of the century."

For two whole years, Notarbartolo carefully observed the area. Using clever and highly professional techniques, he obtained photos of the underground vault fortress, which was protected by dozens of advanced security systems. He planned an intricate and sophisticated theft but the escape plan seemed almost impossible. Yet, in his mind, it was all part of a perfectly crafted plot, as if lifted from a Hollywood script, created by brilliant writers and brought to life by a perfectionist mind as if time itself was an accomplice.

On the night of the operation, the place turned into a stage for a cold and calculated criminal masterpiece. The gang moved in total silence, like shadows slipping through walls, armed with advanced tools to disable every security layer.

After long hours of silent, tireless work, they reached the final moment: the last door slowly opened to reveal 189 metal boxes. Inside lay raw diamonds gleaming with harsh innocence, rare jewelry worth entire fortunes, and luxury watches that could make any gang rich for life. They collected their loot quietly valued at over $100 million and disappeared like ghosts, without a sound, without a trace.

When the guards arrived the next morning, the shock was immense. The vaults once thought to be impenetrable were found open and empty. Belgian police described the event as a “surgical operation” executed with unmatched composure. The media quickly dubbed it "The Heist of the Century."

A few days later, police found trash bags dumped in a forest near Brussels. Inside: food scraps, empty bottles, tools used in the heist, and papers with Notarbartolo’s fingerprints. He was arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison, along with several gang members. But he always claimed that the plan wasn’t his alone there were partners who have never been identified.

The most mysterious part of the story isn’t the arrest it’s the disappearance of the diamonds. To this day, most of the loot has never been found. It’s believed to have been quietly sold on international black markets through complex mafia networks.

Despite the global security scandal, Antwerp never lost its status as the diamond capital. In fact, it used the shock to reinforce its defenses, introducing more advanced surveillance systems and tightening security in its iconic district. But that night remains a scar hard to erase and the heist remains a modern legend.