Dead in jewelery heist was client; new details

The man who died in the Goudspeurders gold trading store heist on Thursday now appears to have been a regular patron of the shop. The 49-year old man from Amsterdam was stabbed by the store owner, and was found dead in the Elisabeth Wolffstraat. These updates come from the Department of Justice in this ongoing investigation in Amsterdam.

The owner of the gold trading store on the De Clercqstraat in Amsterdam West was stabbed in the chest with a meat fork. After several emergency operations his condition is stable. The investigators hope to speak with him today.

The other man, who seems to have been stabbed by the store owner with a butcher's knife, died around the corner in the Elisabeth Wolffstraat.

The Public Prosecution Authority (OM) is still investigating the case for a possible motive, it is unclear whether this was a robbery or a personal attack.

Goudspeurders has been the focus of a possible illegal gold trade and whitewashing investigation. This case was shelved in 2013, however. The wounded man is a suspect in this investigation. He spoke with his lawyer this morning, and investigators hope to question him later in the day, Het Parool reports.

It is thought that the shop was empty besides the two men at the time of the incident. Police are still looking for witnesses. The shop is fitted with security cameras, but it is unclear if they were filming at the tim of the stabbing. The investigators have asked neighboring shops for their security footage as well.

The case is being treated as a robbery for now, "but the police has to investigate properly what happened", say Tim Vis and Sidney Smeets, lawyers of the gold trader. "we are convinced that  it will appear that our client has not acted in a criminal manner." In that case, the investigation will have to continue as 'shot in self-defense'.