Thieves Empty 123 Vaults at Gem Center

Thieves emptied 123 of 160 vaults over the weekend at a Belgian diamond-trading center in what officials said might be the largest theft ever in Antwerp, the gem-trading capital of the world.

Authorities were trying to determine the amount of the loss from the Antwerp Diamond Center, which houses dozens of gem-trading companies.

The largest previous theft in Antwerp occurred in 1994, when thieves stole $4.55 million worth of gems from five vaults in the center. The weekend’s loss was likely to be much larger, said Youri Steverlynck, a spokesman for the High Diamond Council, which regulates the gem trade.