It's a heist of grand proportions, and a story straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster. Millions of dollars of diamonds smuggled out of the remote Kimberley, in Western Australia then around the world. But the diamonds weren't lost to the eighties when this heist happened, the stolen gems are back in circulation. On Pink Diamond Heist: how did no-one notice diamonds were being smuggled out of the world's most secure mine? Who were the culprits behind this multi-million dollar heist? And where are the stolen diamonds now?
In all my years of journalism, there is one story that's stuck with me. Twenty years ago I was out bush chatting to diamond explorers about a heist that happened in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. I couldn't believe it when some of these diamonds recently turned up in my hometown of Perth. Buckle in because it seems everyone wants to know more about what really went on, even those that had a front-row seat.
How do you pull off the perfect heist? Would you believe there's actually a recipe for it? While some heists are of Mission Impossible proportions, our caper is a little more domestic. Less motion sensors, infrared beams and seismic instruments; more shampoo bottles, kitchen sieves and lipstick. But what it lacked in high tech it made up for in sheer daring. So what goes into the anatomy of a heist and how did ours get started?
What would you do if you found your husband washing diamonds in the sink? For the woman at the centre of our story this was a life changing moment. How did Lynette go from lipstick sales to diamond courier?
Our less than smooth criminals managed to out-fox and outlast their police pursuers for about four years, helped by suspect dealings. How did they manage it? Was it in fact the ultimate inside job? This time we dive deep into the bent security guard, the mouthy crook and the dodgy coppers as numerous investigations try to put a full stop to this crime. From the remote Argyle mine to the ateliers of Europe, this heist required brains, bluster and bravado to pull it off.
Imagine finding a diamond in your roof? Unexplained diamonds have turned up in odd places, but the tech has come a long way since our heist and scientists can now figure out where they come from. Diamonds are the ultimate stealth wealth but tracing is making it tougher for thieves. Our Argyle diamonds went on a wild ride but in the end, some were recovered. Why have they reappeared all these years later and where is the rest of the multi-million dollar haul?
When a ship called the Blythe Star disappeared without a trace in 1973, it kicked off the largest sea and air search Australia had ever seen. Ten men were left clinging to life in an emergency raft, at the mercy of the wind and currents. In the days to come they were pushed to the extremes of endurance.
As 18-year-old Mick Doleman farewelled young love to set sail on the Blythe Star, he could never have seen what was coming. Just 14 hours into their journey, Mick’s life – along with those of his rag tag crew of shipmates – would change forever as they scrambled to save themselves from a sinking ship. In this episode of From the Dead, host Piia Wirsu discovers the uneasy signs that all was not right when the Blythe Star set sail.
When the Blythe Star fails to turn up at port as scheduled, the authorities are left scratching their heads. Meanwhile, the families of the crew reel at the news the ship is missing. In this episode, bungles, bickering and birthday cards create mayhem on land.
When the Blythe Star fails to turn up at port as scheduled, the authorities are left scratching their heads.Meanwhile, the families of the crew reel at the news the ship is missing.In this episode, bungles, bickering and birthday cards create mayhem on land.
The search is called off and the men are declared dead, leaving loved ones reeling.But on the raft, the men have one final hope for salvation.In this episode time runs out for the men, as they have a make-or-break opportunity.
Three of the remaining crewmen set off on a do-or die mission to find help, and fate steps in.In this final episode of From the Dead, the impacts of the disaster are felt long after the event.
When America promised to build a space base in outback Australia in the middle of the 1960s space race, few suspected it would put Australia in the nuclear cross-hairs in decades to come. That space base, just 18ks from Alice Springs, would come to be known as Pine Gap - possibly the most secretive place in Australia.
In the grip of a crippling drought in the 1960s, Alice Springs sees an economic lifeline when America promises to build a 'space base' on the edge of town. But once Pine Gap's bizarre, oversized golf ball-like structures are finally built, mysterious things start happening - the 'space base' isn't quite what it seems.
As the Cold War enters the 70s, it becomes clear that Pine Gap is really a spy base with eyes on the Soviets – and it's putting Alice Springs in the nuclear crosshairs.
Nuclear fear prompts thousands to flood to Alice Springs in the 1980s to try and close Pine Gap and reveal its secrets. This time the woman are in charge and they don't want Australia involved in nuclear war.
The Cold War has finally ended but Pine Gap, or ‘The Base’ as it’s become known, is expanding and it’s getting involved in conflicts across the world. Host Alex Barwick finally goes inside Pine Gap and meets a spy who has spent years working within the perimeter.
Host Alex Barwick hears just how far Pine Gap’s reach is today, uncovers the secrets of stolen land and explores what it means for Australia to have a spy base hidden in the heart of the country. Host: Alex Barwick Supervising producer: Piia Wirsu Sound engineer and producer: Grant Wolter Executive producer: Blythe Moore Additional production and research: Elsa Silberstein Special thanks: Eric George, Robert Mailer, Tim Roxburgh, Jane Connors, Mark Maley, Elizabeth Beal, ABC Alice Springs, and everyone who agreed to speak with us Further reading: David Rosenberg - Inside Pine Gap Brian Toohey - Secret Kieran Finnane - Peace Crimes Desmond Ball - A Suitable Piece of Real Estate
In 1966 a Queensland farmer thought he saw a UFO that left behind a real physical mark in some reeds. That sighting set off a chain of events that would haunt him for decades and leave a lot of unanswered questions. Danielle O’Neal delves into what happens when people say seemingly unbelievable things.
On a hot morning under blue skies, a young banana farmer saw something he couldn’t explain that sent his pulse racing. It looked like a flying saucer and it left behind a mysterious mark. The chain of events it set off would change everything.
mike wignall
when is the next episode???