...The Nokas Robbery...

On the morning of Monday, April 5th, 2004 Stavanger lost it's innocent apparel. A league of at least 13 persons robbed the NOKAS cash center - shooting and killing a police officer.

The morning was a quiet workday. Although normal work hours prevailed, a lot of the citizens of Stavanger had fled to the mountains to spend Easter vacation in the snow.

Several shots were heard within the city center. Police officer Arne Sigve Klungland. The robbers had also set a truck on fire right outside the police headquarters, in hope of delaying the police in reaching the city center.

Newspapers state that 65 million NOK (apprx 10 million dollars) was stolen - mainly in the form of used bills. 13 people have been charged with involvement in the robbery, among them a Norwegian kick boxer. The majority of the men charged are Norwegian and from the Oslo district, but several have connections to the Stavanger area.

The case is expected to cost the Norwegian society 160 million NOK. The trial started. All 13 of the defendants were convicted and sentenced on Friday March 10.

David Toska, the mastermind of the robbery, was sentenced to 19 years in prison. Kjell A. Schumann, Metkel Betew, Ridvan Halimi and Thomas Thendrup received 16 year sentences plus preventative custody, with a minimum sentence of ten years served.

The NOKAS case is the most expensive investigation and most discussed crime in Norwegian history, with nearly 40,000 newspaper and online articles on the heist, investigation and trial.

News:

Read more about the trials at:

‘Scream’ Thieves Steal a Piece of Norway’s Soul, CantonRep.com
Sentences announced in the NOKAS trial, The Norway Post
Prison guards fear NOKAS suspects, Aftenposten
Prosecution demands long jail terms for NOKAS defendants, Aftenposten
Journalist threatened in NOKAS case, Aftenposten
Leak halts NOKAS trial, Aftenposten
Norwegian Scam Leads to Gambia, All Africa
NOKAS robbery - the series, Aftenposten
NRK TV defies court order, The Norway Post
NOKAS lawyer feuds with police, Aftenposten
NOKAS suspects start testifying, Aftenposten
Secret Nokas information The Norway Post
Woman arrested over Scream theft BBC
Answers from the NOKAS defendants, The Norway Post
Robbery's cash still missing, Aftenposten
Brutal robbery trial underway. Aftenposten
Daft security actions in the NOKAS-case, The Norway Post

Pictures from the crime scene and the trial
		The originals and larger versions of these pictures can be found at VG.