Police have arrested four men from Ballerup – aged 31, 34, 43 and 54 – in connection with a humongous heist of new Danish stamps worth 23 million kroner.
A fifth man, a 36-year-old, was arrested last week and charged with stealing some 150,000 kroner worth of stamps. Two others have been charged in the case, including one man who purchased the stolen stamps from the 36-year-old.
Police contend that the men intended to sell the stamps on the black market, where they could fetch as much as half of their 23 million kroner face value.
The stolen stamps were bound for the burn barrel. Due to a minor printing error, the national postal service, Post Danmark, had ordered them destroyed. Instead, some or all of the flawed stamps went missing while being driven to the Copenhagen incineration facility Amagerforbrændingen, according to EkstraBladet tabloid.
All four Ballerup men were drivers for truck companies hired to deliver the stamps to the burning facility.
The suspects underwent preliminary questioning at Glostrup Courthouse on Thursday. The four suspects from Ballerup all pled not guilty, reports Politiken newspaper.
Superintendent Michael Liebst Sørensen of the Vestegn Police said that detectives considered the case complete and did not expect to make any further arrests.
They warned the public against purchasing discounted stamps, which could be stolen.
