After tracking the diamond’s arrival in Dubai from Europe, the gang devised a “sophisticated plan,” in order to steal it. The thieves passed themselves off as wealthy dealers by renting luxury cars and holding meetings in high-end hotels. They even went as far as to hire a diamond expert to authenticate the stone, said police.

Dubai Police said it caught three persons trying to leave the country eight hours after stealing a rare pink diamond in an elaborate scheme that took a year to execute

Video footage showed the three men with their faces blurred after their arrest as well as CCTV footage of the gang.