Brothers stole ancient vase worth £3.5m in heist 'to pay back debts'

16 January 2024 , 09:42

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The Fondation Baur where the heist took place (Image: Fondation Baur)

British brothers who were caught after stealing an ancient vase worth £3.5m in museum heist said they were trying to pay back debts.

The pair admitted taking the Ming dynasty porcelain worth millions of pounds from a museum in Switzerland in the theft. The men, part of a gang of three, broke into the Fondation Baur in Geneva, in June 2019. They escaped with two 14th Century vases worth £3.5 million and also stole a historic bowl in the heist.

Stewart Ahearne, 45, and Louis Ahearne, 35, who are from south-east London, admitted the heist and appeared before three judges at the Palais de Justice in Geneva on Monday. The men were accused of theft, trespass and damage to property. Swiss authorities said the gang broke into the museum breaking a pane on the front door and later shattered a display case.

Stewart Ahearne, a father-of-five, admitted hiring a Renault Captur from a car hire firm in Geneva Airport for the robbery. But he denied planning the theft, although he "took full responsibility" for his actions. He said: "I went into the museum. I stole some stuff. Any organisation, anything to do with the artwork I didn't know nothing,"

The stolen 15th century Chinese Ming Dynasty vase worth £2.5 million which has been recovered by the Metropolitan Police (PA)

He claimed he was simply a pawn in a game of chess. run by a shadowy third figure. He told the court: "I was asked to come to Switzerland to do some driving. The story, the scenario changed with the third person. He is not someone you can say no to. He is not a very nice person. My role was I was used". Louis Ahearne, a father of one, said he agreed to be part of the heist to clear a debt he had amassed. He said: "I was paid to be a front man to clear a debt. In the [CCTV] video I am the third person [going into the museum] with no crowbar and no sledgehammer."

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A recce of the museum was done ahead of the raid and the court heard the trio visited the Swiss city four months earlier. The brothers claimed they thought it was a holiday but Stewart Ahearne guessed the reason for the visit after the heist. He said: "It was so the third person could do some scouting," The brothers travelled to Hong Kong after the raid to sell the stolen bowl to an auction house for £80,000. It has since been returned to the museum. Cops from the Met and Swiss police were involved in an undercover operation as the gang tried to sell one of the vases.

Louis Ahearne agreed to be part of the heist to clear a debt he had amassed (Kent Police)

It was recovered in October 2021 and three men - Mbaki Nkhwa, 47, Kaine Wright, 26, and David Lamming, 31 - were convicted last year in connection with the theft. Cops received call from an auction house in 2020 saying that an 'unknown person' had emailed them to seek a valuation. An IP address for the email account was traced by the Met which led to Lamming's home.

Detective Chief Inspector Matt Webb, from the Metropolitan Police Specialist Crime Command, said: '"These convictions are the result of four years' work crossing international boundaries and involving collaboration between many internal and external partners. The organised crime group involved in this offending believed they could commit significant offences internationally and that there would be no comeback. They were mistaken."

Stewart and Louis Ahearne were subsequently arrested as part of the ongoing investigation and taken to Switzerland in December 2022, where they have been held in Champ-Dollon prison.

The hearing continues.

Graeme Murray