NOKAS robbery

NOKAS robbery is the commonly used name for the robbery of a Nokas Cash Handling (NOKAS) cash counting center in Kongensgate in Stavanger, Norway, on 5 April 2004, at approximately 8am.

The robbers were equipped with bulletproof vests, helmets, ski masks, gloves and coveralls, and were armed with AG3s, MP5s, Kalashnikov automatic rifles, M1 carbine and a .45 ACP pistol.^{[citation needed]} While the counting center was attacked, the parking lot exit from Stavanger Police HQ was blocked with a Volvo lorry, set on fire. Getaway cars were parked in Sørmarka outside Stavanger. A glass pane in the counting center was crushed by a sledgehammer, battering ram and 113 shots fired with automatic weapons. Several of the employees managed to escape and at least seven robbers entered the counting center. Meanwhile, several of the robbers guard out by the Cathedral Square. Several shots were fired at the police. Police Lieutenant Arne Sigve Klungland was shot dead. The perpetrators escaped with 57.4 million kroner in service revenue, making it Norway's largest ever robbery. 51 million are still to be found.

The robbery is the basis for a movie titled Nokas, premiered on 1 October 2010.

Timeline of events

Before the robbery

03.10 AM

The robbers get dressed for the robbery.

03.50 AM

The robbers meet at their first meeting place 13 km away from NOKAS.

05.10 AM

A few of the robbers stop at Rosenberg verft 5 km from NOKAS, because there is a patrol patrolling the streets.

07.10 AM

The robbers leave Rosenberg verft.

07.23 AM

The robbers meet at their last meeting place 200 m away from NOKAS.

07.57 AM

The robbers arrive outside the NOKAS building.

During the robbery

Approx. 07.58 AM

The robbers try to enter the NOKAS building through a window.

08.02 AM

The alarm goes off at the Stavanger police department.

08.06 AM

The first police patrol arrives at the scene, and is met by several heavily armed robbers. The police are heavily undermanned for a long while. Just prior to the robbery the robbers had blocked the garage exit at the Stavanger police department with a burning truck.

08.08 AM

The robbers enter the building.

08.11 AM

A police officer is taken hostage.

08.12 AM

The shoot-out starts.

08.13 AM

A man in a yellow jacket is taken hostage.

08.14 AM

Police officer Arne Sigve Klungland is shot at by robber Kjell Alrich Schumann.

08.17 AM

The robbers escape with the money in a getaway car. While they were leaving, the robbers fired several shots with assault rifles, while the police officers only carried service pistols and revolvers. Shortly after, police officer Arne Sigve Klungland was found dead in his police command vehicle, killed by a shot to the head from the earlier shoot-out.

After the robbery

08.25 AM

The robbers stop near the Car exchange site in Sørmarka.

08.30 AM

The three vehicles are set on fire in the parking lot at the Car exchange site in Sørmarka, south-west of Stavanger.

08.31 AM

The robbers get away in other cars.

Trial and verdict

The thirteen men involved in the NOKAS robbery were convicted and sentenced to a total of 181 years in prison on 10 March 2006. The man whom many think was their leader, David Toska, received the highest sentence of 21 years. In the final appeal on 19 January 2007, twelve of the thirteen charged were found guilty. The thirteenth, Thomas Thendrup, was acquitted by the jury. However, the acquittal was overturned by the three judges presiding over the case, causing a huge controversy and a following public debate on the current justice system in Norway.

On 29 June 2007, the Norwegian Supreme Court strengthened the sentences of the convicted, adding a total of 27 years in prison.

Another robber claiming innocence for the robbery, Ikmet Kodzadziku, maintains that he was in Stavanger at the time but claims that he was closing a drug deal at that time. In the media, he stated that he "got the right sentence, but for the wrong crime."

The case is assumed to have cost the Norwegian state 160 million NOK. ^[1]

From 1994 to 2004 the Norwegian police fired approximately 79 shots; 48 of these were fired during the Nokas Robbery in 2004.^[2]

Film

A film depicting the NOKAS robbery has been directed by Erik Skjoldbjærg.^[3]

Notes

1. ^ The NOKAS Robbery, Stavanger-web
2. ^ Justis og politidepartementets offisielle tall for bevæpning og skudd avfyrt av politiet
3. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw3Oda2j1lU

See also

• Kjell Alrich Schumann