Bank robbery tunnel thwarted by police
Motivated criminals in Brazil dug an enormous tunnel in an attempt to grab hundreds of millions of dollars from a bank.
600 meters of digging
A criminal gang dug a 600-meter (2000-foot) tunnel in an attempt to rob 1 billion reais ($318 million, €270 million) from a bank. They were thwarted by police shortly before completing the heist.
Rental home
The tunnel entrance was in a nook in a rental house. The 16 participants pooled their money to pay for the tunnel, reaching about $1.27 million, police alleged.
The descent
The tunnel was accessed through a 2 meter-deep ladder. The tunnel itself was about 1.5 meters high, was reinforced with iron beams and wood and lined with plastic, and was even wired with lights.
Fully stocked
The rental house was filled with food, water, special clothing and digging tools. The gang had spent four months digging the tunnel.
Failed heist
Police arrested the gang members and a court ruled they should be held ahead of their trial.