Thieves Net $5 Million in Heist From JFK Airport Cargo Area

NEW YORK AP--Five heavily armed men overpowered a guard and nine workers at a high-value cargo area of Kennedy International Airport yesterday and stole an estimated $5 million in cash and jewels, police said.

The robbers, armed with a shotgun, a pistol, and three revolvers, beat a guard and bound him and the nine other workers at the Lufthansa Airlines cargo area. One worker was forced to reveal the combination to a safe.

The stolen good included $3 million in American money being flown from Frankfurt, Germany, to the Chase Manhattan bank here. Jewels were also stolen, according to a policeman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operaters the airport.

Behind the Brouhaha

Felix Becker, a Lufthansa spokesman, said it was not immediately know exactly what was taken, although some canceled checks were missing. He said the thieves seemed to know, what they were looking for.

But hours after the robbery, police still were trying to determine exactly how much was stolen. "They're still counting," said one police officer.