On the morning of September 23, 2009, a helicopter landed on the roof of a cash service depot in Västberga, southern Stockholm. Within half an hour — and despite a massive police operation — the helicopter took off again, with the robbers escaping with a staggering 39 million Swedish kronor (more than 5 million US dollars).
The money has never been recovered, and the event has since been etched into Swedish history as one of the most extraordinary robberies ever.
Screenwriter Ronnie Sandahl ("Tigers", "Borg vs McEnroe") and acclaimed director Daniél Espinosa ("Snabba Cash", "Safe House", "Morbius") bring the story to life in the eight-part miniseries "The Helicopter Heist", now available on Netflix.
“I want viewers to get a glimpse into this world,” says Espinosa. “It’s like sitting in a café in a city you don’t really know, and suddenly you see something behind the curtain—something important, a little dangerous—that you’re too afraid to approach. Our goal is to pull back that curtain.”
The Swedish Story went to Hollywood - And Back
The series is based on the 2018 semi-fictional novel "Helikopterrånet" by Jonas Bonnier. The film rights were initially acquired by actor Jake Gyllenhaal, who was captivated by the story and wanted to turn it into a Hollywood movie, but that project never materialized.
“When we realized the U.S. version wasn’t moving forward, we made sure to bring the story back home,” says Sandahl. “I wanted to make a series rather than a film so we could fully explore these characters, their motivations, and the elite world of robbery. The deeper I dug, the more I realized there was a remarkable story behind it. Heist films or series are such an underrated genre.”
While "The Helicopter Heist" captures the daring robbery that made headlines, it also delves into themes of family, betrayal, and failure. Sandahl met with several of the real-life robbers to understand their perspective.
“I got to ask all the questions I wanted,” he says. “They didn’t always answer, of course, setting their boundaries, but I gathered as much as I could and dramatized from there. These are people who excel at what they do — and what they do happens to be robbery. They’re not show-offs, they don’t do drugs, they’re meticulous and ambitious. Had they grown up in different circumstances, I’m convinced they would have become top military officers, business leaders, or elite athletes.”
For Espinosa, the story also struck a personal chord, as he grew up surrounded by crime.
“My father was a robber. He was politically motivated, and when he recounted the heists he was part of, he took pride in ensuring no one was hurt and that the impact was minimal,” Espinosa shares. “It’s also pragmatic — firing a single shot could add years to your sentence. So there’s often an effort to avoid violence.”
The Allure of Crime Stories
Why do audiences find crime and true crime so compelling?
“Crime stories are like the Greek tragedies of our time,” Espinosa says. “They’re one of the few genres where we fully accept that the protagonists lose. Look at "Scarface" or "The Godfather". People are drawn to tales of the shadow side of society, to places so deep in the dark that we can’t fully see them. Being guided by a storyteller with insight into that world is captivating.”
For Espinosa, the human aspect was key: “I wanted to create a series about people with hybrid, almost Icarus-like ambitions — flying too close to the sun and getting burned. This isn’t a series about gunfights; it’s about the people behind the heist.”
Mahmut Suvakci ("Top Dog", "Snabba Cash") stars as Rami, a father trying to lead an honest life but drawn back into the world of robbery. Ardalan Esmaili ("Snow Angels", "Snabba Cash") plays Michel, Rami’s childhood friend and the mastermind behind the heist.
Recreating the heist itself was particularly challenging, both actors admit.
“It felt like we were doing the real thing, but we had to repeat it a hundred times—climbing ladders, carrying money bags,” says Suvakci. “Daniél Espinosa is meticulous about every detail. Everything had to be accurate, from the clothes to the weight of the money bags. With Daniél, there’s no cutting corners.”
Esmaili adds: “It’s a story about more than a robbery. It’s part of Swedish history, but it’s not what people might expect. The series goes deeper, exploring why the robbers did what they did. People will be shocked by how the story unfolds.”
Returning to His Roots
For Espinosa, working on "The Helicopter Heist" was a homecoming of sorts.
“I’ve done big Hollywood productions, but this felt easy and rewarding,” he says. “I was telling a story I knew, rooted in my own experiences. It reminded me why I became a director in the first place. I didn’t set out to go to Hollywood; I ended up there because I thought I had to. But now, after this series, I feel like I’ve slowed down—and found what I truly enjoy.”
What would Espinosa do with 39 million kronor?
“Haha, I have nine siblings, so I’d probably buy each of them an apartment. Being the eldest means I’m responsible for all of them," he jokes.
"The Helicopter Heist" is an eight-part series now streaming on Netflix.
