Upamanyu Biswas
The Swedish crime thriller series ‘The Helicopter Heist’ delves into the story behind the 2009 Västberga helicopter robbery at a G4S cash depot in Stockholm, Sweden. The audacious crime is brought to life through an intricate drama that dives into the theft through the eyes of those involved, providing a more intimate view of the complex events. As such, several characters make a prominent impression throughout the show’s narration, either on the side of law enforcement or in the ranks of the robbers. The latter is highlighted from the point of view of Zoran Petrovic and Michel Maloof, two characters who play an integral role in the heist’s planning and eventual undertaking.
The Real-Life Inspirations Behind Zoran Petrovic and Michel Maloof
‘The Helicopter Heist’ is a semi-fictional retelling of the Västberga helicopter robbery as chronicled by author Jonas Bonnier in his eponymous novel. The show presents a mostly accurate picture of events surrounding the crime, albeit with slight deviations that range from name changes to characters and the inclusion of new characters. Even backstories are shifted around to illustrate a more dramatic version of events that have a thematic underpinning. Thus, the characters of Zoran Petrovic and Michel Maloof are fictional creations of Bonnier who are meant to represent two real-life people involved in the robbery loosely: Goran Bojovic and Charbel Charro. They were participants in the G4S heist that shocked Sweden because of the daring and meticulous nature of the theft.
True to the show’s depiction, Goran Bojovic was tailed by the police after information about the heist had been released to the Swedish authorities by the Serbian government. The information was sent a month in advance of the robbery, allowing police to surveil Bojovic, who was seen as an essential person in the overall planning. Large chunks of the story depicting the character are true to life, except in certain places. For instance, his fictional counterpart in the show is shown to be close with Detective Leonie Hamsik because they used to live in the same building years ago. It is likely that this part of the story was fictionally conceived to provide more dramatic agency into the narrative and tie the two sides of the spectrum together.
On the other hand, Charbel Charro’s fictional counterpart, Michel Maloof, is depicted as Rami Farhan’s childhood friend. The brotherly relationship is possibly another fictional addition, allowing for a more emotionally engaging story where personal matters are at stake. He is one of the central figures in the robbery and actively participates in helping Rami flee the country after the latter realizes he may have left traces of his blood in the depot. This deviates from actual events as Rami’s real-life inspiration, Safa Kadhum, allegedly left the country because he wanted to keep his pregnant girlfriend at the time away from his criminal affairs, fearing that it may cause her to leave him. Both Charro and Bojovic were apprehended and sentenced to prison terms in October 2010, as portrayed in the show’s ending scrawl.
Goran Bojovic and Charbel Charro Lead a Life of Anonymity Today
Goran Bojovic and Charbel Charro received prison sentences of varying lengths for their roles in the heist. As depicted in the show, the latter was never placed on the scene of crime because he left little to no evidence behind. He received a five-year sentence, which was relatively shorter than Bojovic’s eight-year term. The authorities pinpointed the latter as a lead figure in the crime, which is also reflected in the show. Charro and Bojovic provided first-hand accounts of the robbery in numerous interviews given to novelist Jonas Bonnier while he was researching his book. The novel was published in 2017, and the two men have likely been released from prison since then. Any information regarding their whereabouts today is sparse, indicating that they might have adopted a low profile after their daring heist.
Read More: The Helicopter Heist: Is Leonie Hamsik Based on a Real Detective Chief Inspector?
