Helicopter Heist has officially hit screens, bringing the remarkable Swedish robbery of 2009 to life in an eight-part series. Here, Vogue Scandinavia revisits the real-life story behind the forthcoming Netflix hit
Set to debut today on Netflix, Helicopter Heist (Helikopterrånet) follows the narrative from the novel of the same name by Jonas Bonnier. Going beyond previously recounted tales about the notorious real-life heist, the series will cover how the robbery of the G4S cash service depot in southern Stockholm might have taken place.
While there is no definitive record of exactly what unfolded, the events of September 23rd 2009 have become something of Swedish lore. Here, Vogue Scandinavia unpacks the available facts but with a word of warning: what is penned below can be considered spoilers.
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix
It's 5:15AM on September 23rd, 2009, and a meticulously planned heist is starting to unfold. A Bell 206 helicopter, stolen from Roslagens helicopter base in Norrtälje, lands on the roof of the G4S cash service building in Västberga, southern Stockholm. Several vigilantes emerge from the chopper, smash the glass room with sledgehammers, and descend into the building using 20-foot ladders. Small yet strategically placed bombs are placed throughout the facility, blowing open the security doors.
While security and night staff hide amidst fear that the building will collapse, the robbers stealthily move through the structure, with no hesitations about where to go. Decked out in black with masks and helmets, the mob used buzzsaws to break locks on the cash cages. Cash is crammed into bags, swiftly loaded into the helicopter and the crew make off with a sizeable sum of the $150 million stored in the facility. They are airborne, disappearing back into the darkness by 5:35AM – just 20 minutes after touching down.
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix
The Swedish police arrived whilst the robbery was in process, but the thieves thought ahead: handicapping them with threats of submachine guns and bombs, grounding the police's emergency helicopter force. Meanwhile, they throw caltrop spikes on the road to destroy the tires of the police cars.
Three hours after the event, the abandoned getaway helicopter is found in a forest area north of Stockholm. This, together with CCTV footage, gives the police what they need to begin piecing together events.
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix
One month prior, Serbian police warned authorities about the attempted recruitment of a helicopter pilot for a heist taking place in Sweden, the date or location of which was unknown. The suspect was rumoured to be Goran Bojovic, who had former connections to the BIA Red Berets, Serbia's secret police.
One by one, the assailants were identified and caught. Sadhan Kadhum had cut his hand on the ladders used to enter the facility, leaving DNA to identify him. The pilot, Alexander Eriksson, was traced to an airport in the Canary Islands and Bojovic was subsequently found in his apartment, alongside a bag of money.
In total, 10 men were arrested and charged in relation to the robbery – although it is suspected that at least half of those connected are still missing, along with the majority of the money, amounting to an estimated five to eight million dollars.
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix
Does the recounting of the real-life story leave you wanting more? Cue Netflix's Helicopter Heist, which will unpack the notorious crime event this autumn with a character-driven and emotional story of brotherhood and fatherhood amongst the men involved. But maybe most of all: a grand and fast-paced Icarus tale about winning or losing it all.