THE BIG HEIST: What you need to know about $20M airport caper

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The gang that pulled off the $20 million heist at Pearson Airport were pros. We know that.

It was an inside job. We know that.

The heist was well-planned and well-organized. We know that.

Peel cops, the Mounties, Air Canada, TD Bank and pretty much everyone else involved are being tight-lipped.

Here’s what you need to know.

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WHAT HAPPENED?

411: An April 17 Air Canada flight from Zurich arrived at Pearson International Airport just before 4 p.m. — about 9 minutes early. Onboard was $20 million in gold and other valuables in a secure container. At Pearson, the container — about the size of a desk — was loaded onto a Brink’s truck on the tarmac.

THE TRANSFER

411: The container was then taken by the Brinks armoured truck through a tunnel below the tarmac to an Air Canada cargo holding facility called Cargo West off Brittania Rd. E.

GONE

411: The container containing the gold vanished several hours later in the early evening. Cops believe the cargo holding facility was Ground Zero for the brazen robbery. No guns or disguises were used in the caper.

WHAT!

411: The criminals behind the massive robbery were undoubtedly tipped off to the precious cargo, when it would be arriving and where. Organized crime expert Antonio Nicaso said the mobsters were either tipped off about the payload from airport insiders or hacked into computers and found out themselves.

THE GETAWAY

411: Once you’re out of the passenger area at Pearson, you are in a high-security zone. Staffers require clearance from Transport Canada to get in and out. So … inside job. The loot was likely released by customs to the person collecting on the other end. Documents should have been checked — and double-checked. Canada Border Services Agency isn’t saying if this happened.

WHAT NOW?

411: There is a good possibility that the gold is long gone, either melted down or shipped out of the country. Last week, an insider told the Sun’s Brian Lilley it was believed the gold was still in Canada. But with every passing minute, the chances of getting pinched escalate. It’s now believed the gold is long gone.

QUOTE: “Thieves accessed the public side of a warehouse that is leased to a third party, outside of our primary security line.” — Greater Toronto Airport Authority.

bhunter@postmedia.com

@HunterTOSun