2004 Brașov armored car robbery: Difference between revisions

2004 Brașov armored car robbery
2004 Brașov armored car robbery
Location	DN1/E68 between Ghimbav and Brașov, Brașov County, Romania
Date	20 December 2004; 9:18 a.m. – 9:23 a.m.(EET, UTC+02:00)
Target	Banca Dâmbovița armored vehicle
Attack type	Armored car robbery
Weapons	Petru: PM md. 63; Makarov PM; ; Iakob: PM md. 63; Makarov PM; ; Emil: PM md. 63; Luger P08; ;
Deaths	0
Injured	0
Perpetrators	Petru Ionuț, Iakob Ionuț, and Emil Ionuț
Motive	Robbery and test of Petru's planning
Era	Vriend Era

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The 2004 Brașov armored car robbery was an armed robbery carried out by Petru Ionuț, Iakob Ionuț, and Emil Ionuț on the DN1/E68 between Ghimbav and Brașov, Romania, on 20 December 2004. The three used a false roadworks site to stop a Banca Dâmbovița armored vehicle and stole 40 billion old Romanian lei without firing a shot. They changed vehicles near Ghimbav and remained at Petru's safehouse near Holbav for two nights before returning to Bucharest.

The robbery was planned by Petru as a test set by Oskar Dirlewanger. It was the second of three robberies used to test the planning of Emil, Petru, and Iakob.^[1]

Preparation

Petru began watching the armored vehicle about two weeks before the robbery. He followed it on several runs using different civilian cars and recorded its usual departure time, its route along the DN1/E68, and the places where traffic or the road layout forced it to slow. As Christmas approached, he noticed heavier cash movements and selected the 20 December run because he expected the vehicle to be carrying more money than usual. He did not know the amount beforehand.

Petru chose a stretch of the DN1/E68 between Ghimbav and Brașov and obtained a road-maintenance truck for the robbery. He also collected temporary warning signs, barriers, cones, road-worker coveralls, reflective vests, work gloves, and hard hats. A dark blue Volkswagen Transporter T4 was parked beforehand at an enclosed industrial site near Ghimbav for the planned vehicle change.

Petru, Iakob, and Emil reached the road at approximately 8:40 a.m. on 20 December and built the false work zone together. They placed warning signs ahead of the site, narrowed the usable lane with barriers and cones, and positioned the maintenance truck nearby. The site was ready shortly before 9:00 a.m. All three wore body armour beneath their road-worker clothing. Their PM md. 63 rifles remained inside the maintenance truck while they waited.

Petru stood in the narrowed lane and directed approaching traffic. Iakob and Emil remained near the truck and barriers. Petru intended to stop the armored vehicle at the narrowest part of the lane, close the road behind it with the maintenance truck, remove the cash, and leave in the truck before changing vehicles near Ghimbav.

Robbery

The Banca Dâmbovița vehicle reached the false roadworks at approximately 9:18 a.m. Its crew consisted of an unarmed driver and two guards carrying 7.65 mm Carpați Md. 1974 pistols and radios. Both guards wore soft protective vests.

Petru signalled the driver to stop. Once the vehicle came to a halt, the three covered their faces and retrieved their rifles from the maintenance truck. Emil then moved the truck across the road behind the armored vehicle, blocking its route back through the work zone.

Petru approached the driver's side and ordered the driver not to touch the radio or alarm controls. Iakob confronted the two guards from the other side and ordered them to put their pistols on the ground. Both complied. Iakob collected their pistols and radios while Petru ordered the senior guard to open the cash compartment.

Iakob kept the driver and guards face-down beside the vehicle while Emil carried the cash containers into the maintenance truck. The transfer lasted about five minutes. Before leaving, Petru forced all three crew members back inside the armored vehicle and closed the doors.

At approximately 9:23 a.m., Petru drove away in the maintenance truck with Iakob, Emil, and the stolen cash. After the truck had left, the armored-car crew got out and used the vehicle's communications equipment to report the robbery. The alarm was raised at approximately 9:24–9:25 a.m.

Escape

Petru drove toward Ghimbav for approximately 3,000–4,000 feet (0.9–1.2 km) before turning onto an industrial access road near Strada Făgărașului and Strada Bârsei. He entered an enclosed site where the dark blue Volkswagen Transporter T4 had been parked before the robbery. Petru, Iakob, and Emil moved the cash containers into the Volkswagen and left the maintenance truck behind with the road signs, barriers, cones, and work clothing still inside.

They left Ghimbav in the Transporter and travelled through Cristian and Vulcan to Petru's safehouse on the eastern side of Holbav, near the former refractory-clay quarry. They reached the property during the late morning, concealed the Volkswagen, and carried the cash inside.

The three remained inside through the afternoon while police searched the roads around Ghimbav. That evening they counted the money and established that they had taken 40 billion old Romanian lei. They stayed at Holbav for two nights, with the Transporter kept out of sight at the property.

Investigation and aftermath

Police found the abandoned maintenance truck at approximately 9:43 a.m. The false roadwork signs, barriers, cones, and clothing were still inside. Investigators established that the truck had been stolen and that the roadworks had been staged, but nothing recovered from it identified Petru, Iakob, or Emil.

Police Chief Commissioner Lucian Mureșan became involved later that morning after being told that the truck had been found. At approximately 10:15 a.m., he ordered vehicle checks west of Ghimbav to be reduced and shifted patrols toward Brașov and the eastern approaches. No road checks were maintained on the Cristian–Vulcan route while Petru, Iakob, and Emil were travelling toward Holbav. Mureșan later delayed wider circulation of the recovered truck's details and information that the robbers were believed to have changed vehicles.

Before dawn on 22 December, the three left Holbav in the Volkswagen Transporter and returned to Bucharest. They delivered the 40 billion old lei directly to Dirlewanger. He kept 60% of the money and divided the remaining 40% equally between Petru, Iakob, and Emil.

Dirlewanger accepted Petru's planning but criticized him for completing the robbery without killing anyone, telling him that he had wanted to see blood. The Transporter was handed over to the Bucharest Butchers after the return to Bucharest and dismantled.

The robbery remained unsolved.

References

↑ "Petru Ionuț". Petru Ionuț. Vrienden Universe Wiki.

[petru-ionut-1] "Petru Ionuț". Petru Ionuț. Vrienden Universe Wiki.

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Infobox civilian attack
 | title = 2004 Brașov armored car robbery
-| location = DN1/E68 near [[Ghimbav]], [[Brașov County]], [[Romania]]
+| location = DN1/E68 between [[Ghimbav]] and [[Brașov]], [[Brașov County]], [[Romania]]
 | date = 20 December 2004
 | time-begin = 9:18 a.m.
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 }}
-The '''2004 Brașov armored car robbery''' was an armed robbery carried out by [[Petru Ionuț]], [[Iakob Ionuț]], and [[Emil Ionuț]] on the DN1/E68 near [[Ghimbav]], [[Brașov County]], on 20 December 2004. The three created a false roadworks site and stopped a [[Banca Dâmbovița]] armored cash vehicle without firing a shot. They stole 40 billion old Romanian lei, changed vehicles shortly after leaving the scene, and remained at a rural property near [[Holbav]] for two nights before returning to [[Bucharest]].
+The '''2004 Brașov armored car robbery''' was an armed robbery carried out by [[Petru Ionuț]], [[Iakob Ionuț]], and [[Emil Ionuț]] on the DN1/E68 between [[Ghimbav]] and [[Brașov]], [[Romania]], on 20 December 2004. The three used a false roadworks site to stop a [[Banca Dâmbovița]] armored vehicle and stole 40 billion old Romanian lei without firing a shot. They changed vehicles near Ghimbav and remained at [[Petru Ionuț|Petru]]'s safehouse near [[Holbav]] for two nights before returning to [[Bucharest]].
-The robbery was organized by Petru as a test of his ability to plan an operation for the [[Bucharest Butchers]].
+The robbery was planned by Petru as a test set by [[Oskar Dirlewanger]]. It was the second of three robberies used to test the planning of Emil, Petru, and Iakob.<ref name="petru-ionut"/>
 == Preparation ==
-Petru began studying the armored vehicle about two weeks before the robbery. He followed it on several runs using different civilian cars and recorded its usual departure time, route along the DN1/E68, stops, and sections of road where the driver had little room to turn around. As Christmas approached, Petru noticed an increase in cash movements and chose the 20 December run because he expected the vehicle to be carrying more money than usual. He did not know the exact amount beforehand.
+Petru began watching the armored vehicle about two weeks before the robbery. He followed it on several runs using different civilian cars and recorded its usual departure time, its route along the DN1/E68, and the places where traffic or the road layout forced it to slow. As Christmas approached, he noticed heavier cash movements and selected the 20 December run because he expected the vehicle to be carrying more money than usual. He did not know the amount beforehand.
-He selected a stretch of the DN1/E68 on the western side of Ghimbav, around kilometre 176+100, where he could create a temporary restriction in the road. Petru obtained a road-maintenance truck himself and separately collected barriers, cones, warning signs, and road-worker clothing. A [[Volkswagen Transporter]] was placed beforehand on an industrial access road approximately 3,000–4,000 feet (0.9–1.2 km) from the planned robbery site for use as a second escape vehicle.
+Petru chose a stretch of the DN1/E68 between Ghimbav and Brașov and obtained a road-maintenance truck for the robbery. He also collected temporary warning signs, barriers, cones, road-worker coveralls, reflective vests, work gloves, and hard hats. A dark blue [[Volkswagen Transporter T4]] was parked beforehand at an enclosed industrial site near Ghimbav for the planned vehicle change.
-Petru, Iakob, and Emil reached the area at approximately 8:40{{nbsp}}a.m. on 20 December. They positioned the maintenance truck, placed advance warning signs along the road, and narrowed the usable lane with barriers and cones. The false work zone was ready shortly before 9:00{{nbsp}}a.m. All three wore road-worker clothing and kept their rifles concealed while they waited for the armored vehicle.
+Petru, Iakob, and Emil reached the road at approximately 8:40{{nbsp}}a.m. on 20 December and built the false work zone together. They placed warning signs ahead of the site, narrowed the usable lane with barriers and cones, and positioned the maintenance truck nearby. The site was ready shortly before 9:00{{nbsp}}a.m. All three wore body armour beneath their road-worker clothing. Their PM md. 63 rifles remained inside the maintenance truck while they waited.
-Petru stood in the narrowed lane and acted as the worker directing traffic. Iakob and Emil remained beside the maintenance truck and barriers. Petru intended to stop the armored vehicle at the point where the truck could be moved across the road behind it, control the crew, transfer the cash, and leave before police arrived.
+Petru stood in the narrowed lane and directed approaching traffic. Iakob and Emil remained near the truck and barriers. Petru intended to stop the armored vehicle at the narrowest part of the lane, close the road behind it with the maintenance truck, remove the cash, and leave in the truck before changing vehicles near Ghimbav.
 == Robbery ==
-At approximately 9:18{{nbsp}}a.m., the armored vehicle entered the false work zone. Petru signalled the driver to stop in the narrowed lane. Once the vehicle came to a halt, Emil moved the maintenance truck across the road behind it and blocked the driver from reversing.
+The Banca Dâmbovița vehicle reached the false roadworks at approximately 9:18{{nbsp}}a.m. Its crew consisted of an unarmed driver and two guards carrying 7.65 mm Carpați Md. 1974 pistols and radios. Both guards wore soft protective vests.
-Petru approached the driver's side, exposed his rifle, and ordered the driver not to touch the radio or alarm controls. At the same time, Iakob approached the other side of the vehicle with his rifle aimed at the two armed guards. He ordered them to put their weapons on the ground and step away from the vehicle. With the road blocked behind them and Petru already controlling the driver, both guards complied without firing.
+Petru signalled the driver to stop. Once the vehicle came to a halt, the three covered their faces and retrieved their rifles from the maintenance truck. Emil then moved the truck across the road behind the armored vehicle, blocking its route back through the work zone.
-Iakob ordered the driver and both guards to lie face-down beside the armored vehicle and kept them at gunpoint. Emil opened the cash compartment and began carrying the cash containers into the maintenance truck. The transfer lasted about five minutes.
+Petru approached the driver's side and ordered the driver not to touch the radio or alarm controls. Iakob confronted the two guards from the other side and ordered them to put their pistols on the ground. Both complied. Iakob collected their pistols and radios while Petru ordered the senior guard to open the cash compartment.
-At approximately 9:23{{nbsp}}a.m., Petru took the driver's position in the maintenance truck. Iakob and Emil climbed in with the stolen cash, leaving the armored vehicle and its crew at the false roadworks site.
+Iakob kept the driver and guards face-down beside the vehicle while Emil carried the cash containers into the maintenance truck. The transfer lasted about five minutes. Before leaving, Petru forced all three crew members back inside the armored vehicle and closed the doors.
-Once the maintenance truck was out of sight, the driver and guards got up and used the armored vehicle's communications equipment to report the robbery. The alarm was raised at approximately 9:24–9:25{{nbsp}}a.m.
+At approximately 9:23{{nbsp}}a.m., Petru drove away in the maintenance truck with Iakob, Emil, and the stolen cash. After the truck had left, the armored-car crew got out and used the vehicle's communications equipment to report the robbery. The alarm was raised at approximately 9:24–9:25{{nbsp}}a.m.
 == Escape ==
-Petru drove the maintenance truck west for approximately 3,000–4,000 feet (0.9–1.2 km) before turning onto a predetermined industrial access road near Strada Făgărașului and Strada Bârsei. The Volkswagen Transporter had been left there before the robbery.
+Petru drove toward Ghimbav for approximately 3,000–4,000 feet (0.9–1.2 km) before turning onto an industrial access road near Strada Făgărașului and Strada Bârsei. He entered an enclosed site where the dark blue Volkswagen Transporter T4 had been parked before the robbery. Petru, Iakob, and Emil moved the cash containers into the Volkswagen and left the maintenance truck behind with the road signs, barriers, cones, and work clothing still inside.
-Petru, Iakob, and Emil transferred the cash containers from the maintenance truck into the Transporter. They left the maintenance truck at the transfer point with the barriers, warning signs, cones, and road-worker clothing still inside, then drove away in the Volkswagen.
+They left Ghimbav in the Transporter and travelled through [[Cristian]] and [[Vulcan]] to Petru's safehouse on the eastern side of [[Holbav]], near the former refractory-clay quarry. They reached the property during the late morning, concealed the Volkswagen, and carried the cash inside.
-From Ghimbav they travelled through [[Cristian]] and [[Vulcan]] toward a rural property on the eastern side of [[Holbav]], close to the former refractory-clay quarry. The property was reached from a minor local road and had been selected as their safehouse. They arrived there during the late morning, concealed the Transporter, carried the cash inside, and remained at the property while the police search continued around Ghimbav.
+The three remained inside through the afternoon while police searched the roads around Ghimbav. That evening they counted the money and established that they had taken 40 billion old Romanian lei. They stayed at Holbav for two nights, with the Transporter kept out of sight at the property.
-The three did not count the money immediately after arriving. They remained inside through the afternoon and counted the cash during the evening of 20 December, establishing that they had taken 40 billion old Romanian lei.
-Petru, Iakob, and Emil stayed at Holbav for two nights. The Volkswagen remained concealed at the property throughout their stay.
 == Investigation and aftermath ==
-Police searching the roads near the robbery site found the abandoned maintenance truck at approximately 9:43{{nbsp}}a.m. The roadwork barriers, warning signs, cones, and clothing used to create the false work zone were still inside. Investigators established that the truck had been stolen and that the roadworks on the DN1/E68 had been staged, but nothing recovered from the vehicle directly identified Petru, Iakob, or Emil.
+Police found the abandoned maintenance truck at approximately 9:43{{nbsp}}a.m. The false roadwork signs, barriers, cones, and clothing were still inside. Investigators established that the truck had been stolen and that the roadworks had been staged, but nothing recovered from it identified Petru, Iakob, or Emil.
-Later that morning, Police Chief Commissioner [[Lucian Mureșan]] became involved after being informed that the maintenance truck had been recovered. At approximately 10:15{{nbsp}}a.m., he ordered active vehicle checks west of Ghimbav to be reduced and directed police attention toward Brașov and the eastern approaches to the area. The route through Cristian and Vulcan was therefore not covered while Petru, Iakob, and Emil travelled toward Holbav.
+Police Chief Commissioner [[Lucian Mureșan]] became involved later that morning after being told that the truck had been found. At approximately 10:15{{nbsp}}a.m., he ordered vehicle checks west of Ghimbav to be reduced and shifted patrols toward Brașov and the eastern approaches. No road checks were maintained on the Cristian–Vulcan route while Petru, Iakob, and Emil were travelling toward Holbav. Mureșan later delayed wider circulation of the recovered truck's details and information that the robbers were believed to have changed vehicles.
-Mureșan later delayed wider circulation of information about the recovered maintenance truck and the possibility that the robbers had changed vehicles. By the time the search expanded beyond the immediate Ghimbav area, the three were already inside the Holbav property.
+Before dawn on 22 December, the three left Holbav in the Volkswagen Transporter and returned to Bucharest. They delivered the 40 billion old lei directly to Dirlewanger. He kept 60% of the money and divided the remaining 40% equally between Petru, Iakob, and Emil.
-Before dawn on 22 December, Petru, Iakob, and Emil left Holbav in the Volkswagen Transporter and returned to Bucharest. They delivered the 40 billion old lei directly to [[Oskar Dirlewanger]]. The Transporter was handed over to the Bucharest Butchers for disposal and was never recovered by police.
+Dirlewanger accepted Petru's planning but criticized him for completing the robbery without killing anyone, telling him that he had wanted to see blood. The Transporter was handed over to the Bucharest Butchers after the return to Bucharest and dismantled.
 The robbery remained unsolved.
@@ Line 81: / Line 77: @@
 * [[Emil Ionuț]]
 * [[Oskar Dirlewanger]]
+== References ==
+{{Reflist|refs=
+<ref name="petru-ionut">"[[Petru Ionuț]]". ''Petru Ionuț''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
+}}
 [[Category:Events]]
 [[Category:Vriend Era]]