Quick-thinking jeweler has genius approach to stop would-be thief getting away with $7 million of diamonds
A US jeweler displayed some sensational quick-thinking skills to stop a woman robbing $7 million (£5.8 million) worth of diamonds.
Back in 2017, Fatima Milanovic, then 46, tried to rob the owner of ECJ Luxe Collection in Boca Raton, Florida, US.
But Bobby Yampolsky was having none of it, as he thought of a clever way to stop the would-be thief when she entered his shop in March 2017.
Yampolsky spoke over the CCTV footage from that day in an interview with Inside Edition.
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When Milanovic entered the luxury store, she was led by the owner to the vault, where all the most expensive jewels are kept.
Once in the vault, the pair struck a $7 million (£5.8 million) deal for 11 rings, but the woman suspiciously asked if she could wrap them up herself.
Yampolsky told Inside Edition: "She brought her own materials and she actually put her own roll of tape out, and a bunch of tissues, and a little pouch.
"She was so nervous; her hands were actually shaking."
The attempted heist then begins as Milanovic slips the diamonds into a briefcase, but when the owner asks for it back, she hands him back a package full of fake diamonds.
Yampolsky told Inside Edition the scam was 'obvious', so he attempted to wrestle the briefcase containing the diamonds off Milanovic.
"She wasn't letting go; she was holding on to that briefcase for dear life."
Instead, he goes out of the vault and shuts the door - locking her in there in the process.
At this point, Milanovic is panicking as she attempts to put the diamonds up her skirt and even tries to rip the package they were in up.
But the police were quickly on the scene - and even then - she hadn't given up on escaping.
Yampolsky said: "She was actually very calm; she actually handed them a $50 bill and asked them to go pay the taxi waiting outside - it was almost comical."
Milanovic was subsequently arrested and charged with grand theft and organised fraud.
On March 20 2017, she was booked at Palm Beach County Jail and released on $50,000 (£40,000) bond.
Milanovic’s attorney Richard Cooper said that Milanovic never intended to commit a crime.
Back in 2017, he told New York Post: "We strenuously deny these serious allegations and look forward to vindication once all the facts come out.
"We believe that Ms. Milanovic was misguided by people she trusted and had no intent to ever commit a crime while visiting the U.S.
"Ms. Milanovic is a mother and wife missing her family back home in France and we look forward to having these charges dropped and reuniting her with her loved ones."
Callum Jones