How a family gang allegedly pulled off a $128 million heist … and how the police managed to capture them

It was November 25, 2019, and in the space of a few short minutes, some of the world’s most valuable historic jewels had vanished.

Now, the six men accused of carrying out one of the biggest jewel thefts in history are preparing to go on trial in Germany starting Friday, January 28. But the mystery of what happened to the treasures they are alleged to have stolen endures.

This is the story of a heist that stunned the world — and the meticulous police work that led to the capture of six members of the family gang that police say are believed to be responsible for it.

Adorned with more than 4,300 diamonds, the treasures stolen from the Green Vault were worth at least 113 million euro ($128 million), according to the state prosecutor’s office. However, the director of Dresden’s State Art Collection, Marion Ackermann, said their material value doesn’t even begin to reflect their “incalculable” historical and cultural importance.

They included a 1780s hat clasp decorated with 15 large and more than 100 small diamonds, as well as a 96-centimeter (38-inch) sword and a scabbard, or sheath, which together contained more than 800 diamonds.

But it wasn’t just the immense value of the loot that captured the world’s attention, it was the brazenness with which the raid was allegedly carried out.

Roy Ramm, a security consultant and former commander of specialist operations at New Scotland Yard in London, told CNN that crimes like this are…