Gold Heist at Toronto Airport Ignites Legal Battle Between Air Canada and Brink’s

Gold Heist at Toronto Airport Ignites Legal Battle Between Air Canada and Brink’s

In a multimillion-dollar heist that occurred in April 2023, nearly C$24 million in gold bars and cash vanished from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. The audacious act remains unresolved, igniting a legal feud between Air Canada and Brink’s, the armored car company, each pointing fingers at the other for the security lapse.

Gold Heist Sparks Legal Battle

According to Brink’s, the security measures taken by Air Canada were insufficient, enabling the theft of 400kg of gold and over 50kg of cash via a counterfeit waybill. In a counter-claim, Air Canada asserts that Brink’s neither disclosed the shipment’s value nor insured it or paid for extra security. As a result, the airline claims, it adhered to standard procedures.

(Read Also: Air Canada Responds to Brink’s Lawsuit Over $23.8 Million Gold Heist, Denies Responsibility)

Montreal Convention and Compensation Cap Conflict

Both companies are drawing on the Montreal convention, a treaty limiting compensation for lost cargo. However, they differ on how this limit should be applied. Brink’s argues that there should be no cap on compensation, a point of contention that forms part of the ongoing litigation in federal court. As it stands, none of the allegations made by either party have been proven.

(Read Also: Claims of Unwitting Espionage: A Canadian in China’s Crosshairs)

Implications and Future Developments

The heist raises serious questions about the security protocols for high-value cargo, with both parties denying negligence. The court battle is expected to unfold over the coming months, potentially revealing further details about this audacious theft. Meanwhile, the police investigation continues, with no arrests made thus far and the stolen goods still missing.

Read More