British Police Raid Home of $35 million Japan Heist Suspect

Scottish police have confirmed they raided a house in Aberdeen in connection with the theft of jewelry worth about $35 million from a store in Tokyo's Ginza district in March. It was Japan’s biggest ever jewelry robbery.

An intelligence unit from international police organization Interpol accompanied by 12 Scottish police officers took part in the raid linked to the theft of jewelry from an up-market store in Tokyo.

A 54-year-old British woman, thought to have been the mastermind behind the alleged theft of 12 pieces of jewelry, is understood to have been the main target of the operation.

Among the jewelry stolen was the 125-carat diamond Contesse de Vendome necklace worth $27.8 million. Featuring 116 diamonds, it had been the most prized item of Le Supre-Diamant Couture de Maki, an exclusive Tokyo store, since it opened in 1991. A diamond ring worth around $1.8 million, and a $1.1 million pair of drop earrings were among other items stolen.

None of the stolen jewelry has been recovered.

International arrest warrants have been issued for the 54-year-old British woman along with another woman and two men from Serbia.

Scottish police said nobody had been charged yet in connection with the theft and the investigation is continuing.

The two women in the gang reportedly served as lookouts while their male accomplices entered the store posing as customers.

The four are understood to have posed as two couples on holiday when they visited the store and asked to view several expensive items.

The men put a clerk out of action with pepper spray and then smashed through a glass showcase to steal the jewelry before escaping on a motorbike.

The gang allegedly then flew to France on fake passports. No other arrests have been reported in the case.