Sindri Thor Stefansson, the man suspected of stealing 600 bitcoin miners has evaded custody in Iceland, according to Icelandic law enforcement agencies.
Mr Stefansson was being held in a low-security prison and managed to climb out of the window and board a passenger plane. The same plane was also taking Iceland’s prime minister according to a local media report.
To fugitive managed to use another man’s passport to board the plane, however, he was since recognised on airport CCTV.
According to Visir, a local news site, the Sogn prison was only 60 miles from Keflaviks airport. The prison was so relaxed that their were no fences and inmates have access to phones and an internet connection.
Police were only alerted of his escape after the flight had left for Stockholm, the Swedish capital. Swedish authorities will likely work with Icelandic authorities to find and arrest Mr Stefansson.
The Bitcoin Heist
The 600 bitcoin miners were stolen from multiple data centers in Iceland and was considered one of the biggest thefts Iceland has ever seen. Local media, dubbed it the “Big Bitcoin Heist.”
The machines were valued at $2 million and are still missing despite 11 people being arrested in February. At the time the machines were capable of mining bitcoin that would be valued in excess of the physical worth of the machines. Meaning the thieves would never have to sell the assets to turn a substantial profit. The machines were stolen from four data centres in four night-time raids.
