WILLEMSTAD – Burglars who targeted a Corendon storage facility at Curaçao International Airport early Monday may have studied security procedures beforehand and timed their operation around patrols, according to information published by the newspaper Èxtra.
The burglary was one of at least four major break-ins carried out around the same period. Authorities are investigating whether an organized group was responsible for the incidents.
According to sources cited by Èxtra, two vans were involved in the Corendon burglary.
The perpetrators allegedly studied how security personnel operated at the airport property and knew when routine patrols would take place.
Shortly after security officers completed one of their rounds, a van carrying several men reportedly entered the area. The men were said to be dressed entirely in black with their faces covered.
They allegedly approached the Corendon storage facility from the rear of the property.
According to the newspaper's sources, the perpetrators appeared to know how much time they had before security personnel would return for another patrol, suggesting that the operation had been carefully prepared.
A second van reportedly arrived during the burglary and was used to help remove the stolen merchandise.
The perpetrators are suspected of using heavy equipment previously stolen from the Curaçao Fire Department to create a hole in a wall and gain access to the storage area.
A large number of televisions and air-conditioning units were reportedly stolen. The equipment was intended for Corendon’s new hotel development on Penstraat.
No precise value has been disclosed for the stolen goods, although Èxtra reports that the losses are considerable.
Concerns have also emerged that the perpetrators could strike again because the heavy-duty equipment allegedly stolen from the Fire Department has not been recovered.
According to Èxtra, authorities are considering the possibility that the equipment could be used in an attempt to steal an ATM. The newspaper reports that a local bank has been warned to remain particularly vigilant in the coming days.
Police have not publicly confirmed the reported ATM warning.
Investigators are continuing to examine surveillance footage and other evidence to determine who carried out the Corendon burglary and whether the same individuals were involved in the break-ins at KFC and McDonald’s.