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The most fantastical aspects of the story seem to be coming from (the imagination of) the interviewed thief/con man, without further corroboration. The author s

by Luc 16y ago

The most fantastical aspects of the story seem to be coming from (the imagination of) the interviewed thief/con man, without further corroboration. The author seems quite pleased to have a movie scenario thrown in his lap, and doesn't place any question marks. Most other articles on the net relating to this person seem to take this article as their source. It's been a long time since I read this story, but there is a lot in there which has the feeling of being a tall tale. Like parachuting onto a roof in the dead of night, when he may just as well have bought a ticket and hidden behind a curtain somewhere in those 1000 rooms.

brianmckenzie 16y ago
Yeah, I was also quite skeptical of that part - he was somehow able to track down a parachute, a perfect replica of the jewels, and an outlaw pilot all in the space of 24 hours? All this when he was on vacation in a foreign country with his girlfriend and her family?
- kondro 16y ago
  Parachutes are pretty easy to come by if you know any skydivers. The replica didn't need to be perfect, just look similar. They don't take jewels out of their box every day to take a close look at hem unless they need to. He got that from the gift store. You could find a pilot willing to drop you at night at the same place you find a parachute. Skydivers & and their friends are weird thrillseekers. They would do a night drop for someone because they thought it was cool. Blanchart didn't have to tell them the truth as to why he wanted dropping. As for the vacation... that seemed to come first, and the robbery on a whim. He didn't go there planning to steal the star.
fooandbarify 16y ago
Alright, I see what you mean. Some strong exaggerations with unsupported claims. The author could have done more to distance himself from Blanchard's unsubstantiated claims, but he does not lie about them - merely presents a story from the criminal's point of view. And even if you subtract the skydiving and the hot mysterious accomplice it is still an extremely interesting story.

by Luc 16y ago

brianmckenzie 16y ago

Yeah, I was also quite skeptical of that part - he was somehow able to track down a parachute, a perfect replica of the jewels, and an outlaw pilot all in the space of 24 hours? All this when he was on vacation in a foreign country with his girlfriend and her family?

kondro 16y ago
Parachutes are pretty easy to come by if you know any skydivers. The replica didn't need to be perfect, just look similar. They don't take jewels out of their box every day to take a close look at hem unless they need to. He got that from the gift store. You could find a pilot willing to drop you at night at the same place you find a parachute. Skydivers & and their friends are weird thrillseekers. They would do a night drop for someone because they thought it was cool. Blanchart didn't have to tell them the truth as to why he wanted dropping. As for the vacation... that seemed to come first, and the robbery on a whim. He didn't go there planning to steal the star.

fooandbarify 16y ago

Alright, I see what you mean. Some strong exaggerations with unsupported claims. The author could have done more to distance himself from Blanchard's unsubstantiated claims, but he does not lie about them - merely presents a story from the criminal's point of view. And even if you subtract the skydiving and the hot mysterious accomplice it is still an extremely interesting story.