Netherlands’ biggest robbery
Police in Spain have been tracking a notorious figure on the island of Ibiza since last November. A tip from Dutch authorities suggested that Errol HV, credited as the mastermind behind the country’s largest heist, might be hiding there. Pinning him down proved difficult. The man under pursuit avoided a fixed residence and did not resemble the typical profile of a high‑level robber focused on money or luxury goods. In fact, recent months on the island showed residents pursuing everyday jobs to make ends meet, ranging from dog walking to small repairs, odd jobs in town, and even offering massage or physiotherapy services, as reported by CASO ABIERTO, the investigative channel of Prensa Ibérica. These efforts painted a picture of a community trying to stay under the radar while a famous fugitive remained elusive.
Fugitive Location Group agents confirmed that he had been staying at a residence where some friends also lived. On the afternoon of February 6, they spotted him leaving the house, pursued him for several kilometers, and finally cornered him. He was in the passenger seat of a car driven by a young woman with whom he had an amicable relationship. The moment of pursuit made clear that this was no ordinary case of a someone living in anonymity; it was the culmination of a long, meticulous manhunt that kept law enforcement agencies vigilant across borders.
On the heels of this dramatic arrest, the narrative turns to the crime that drew worldwide attention. Errol HV was the mastermind behind the largest robbery in Dutch history. On February 25, 2005, he and his gang hijacked an armored van belonging to KLM, at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, piercing the surface of routine travel with a brazen act. Jewelry and diamonds valued at more than 65 million euros vanished in an instant. Dutch authorities recovered portions of the loot and arrested several accomplices, yet roughly 40 million euros remain missing, with enthusiasts and investigators alike still wondering about their fate.
Public accounts trace the suspect’s path through the years. Have Errol was reportedly arrested in Valencia in 2017, and his six co‑conspirators—four men and two women—made their way to Amsterdam following the initial fallout. In 2021, he received a nine and a half year sentence, though authorities allowed him to remain free while awaiting the full judgment. In October 2023, the Dutch Supreme Court affirmed the sentence, yet Errol HV could no longer face active justice in a traditional sense, given the passage of time and evolving legal circumstances. The case had already embedded itself in memory as a landmark example of audacity and international pursuit, with law enforcement agencies continuing to monitor developments.
As the Ibiza investigation continues, authorities have examined every angle, including interviews with an audiovisual media platform that explored whether a production would recount his life story on screen. Reports indicate that a party offered to shoot a series about his life, and investigators watched for signs that film professionals or writers would converge on the island to document or dramatize the events. A separate offer to write a book about his adventures also emerged, with the possibility that the project could be pursued even from a prison setting. The evolving tale shows how modern investigations intersect with pop culture, media rights, and public curiosity, while the central thread remains the pursuit of a person who continues to fascinate and divide audiences across Europe.