Most Intriguing British Heists of the Century
Britain's Most Sensational Heists in History
Britain's most sensational heists in history have mesmerize the public and police over the centuries. Discover how Britain's mastermind criminals managed to pull off the most intriguing heists in Britain history.
5. Knightsbridge Security Deposit (1987): safe deposit box rental led to US$111 million heist
On 12 July 1987, Knightsbridge, England, two men entered the Knightsbridge Safe Deposit Centre and requested to rent a Safe deposit box. The men were taken into the vault where they pulled out their guns then tackled both the manager and security guards. They place a sign on the street level door of the Safe Deposit Centre and proceeded to empty the safe deposit boxes. They stole an estimated £40 million which equivalent to roughly US$66 million at the 1987 exchange rate; the inflation-adjusted value would be £63.6 million --$111 million-- as of 2005. A single fingerprint recovered by police forensic investigators at the crime scene led authorities to the Italian Valerio Viccei. On 12 August 1987, Viccei and numerous associates were arrested during police raids and convicted of the crime.
4. Northern Bank (2004): bank robbers force bank officials to help steal US$50 million
On 20 December 2004, the headquarters of the Northern Bank in Belfast, Northern Ireland was robbed by a very skilled gang. This gang stole £26.5 million in pounds sterling. The robbery places it on the list of one of the biggest bank robberies in British history. Dressed as police officers, the night before the robbery the gang entered the homes of the bank officials and held them at gunpoint. While their families were held, the bank officials went to work as ordered by the gang. The bank officials were instructed to let the gang into the Wellington Street entrance of bank after the bank had closed for business. Once in the bank, they seized £10m of uncirculated Northern Bank sterling banknotes, £5.5m of used Northern Bank sterling notes, £4.5m of circulated sterling notes issued by other banks, and small amounts of other currencies, largely Euros and U.S. Dollars from the cash handling and storage facility. The Provisional IRA were accused by both the police and the British and Irish governments. The accusation was vehemently denied by the Provisional IRA itself and the Sinn Féin political party. The robbery and subsequent allegation of IRA involvement in the raid sparked off a crisis in the Northern Ireland after a time of peace.
3. Brinks Mat warehouse (1983): ten tonnes of gold bullion worth US$45 million from warehouse
On 26 November 1983, six men robbed the Brinks Mat warehouse at Heathrow Airport in London, England. The men entered the Brinks Mat warehouse where the expected to steal only £3 million in cash. Instead, the gang made off with ten tonnes of gold bullion (worth £26 million) they found when they arrived. Security guard Anthony Black, the brother-in-law of the mastermind Brian Robinson, was the man at the door giving the gang access to the warehouse. After discovering the family ties, Scotland Yard got Black admit to his role in the heist. At the Old Bailey, gang leader Michael McAvoy and Robinson were sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for the armed robbery. Black served three years of his six-year sentence. Seven tones of the stole gold were recovered and the remaining three were believed to have been melted down and worn by anyone wearing gold after 1983 in the UK.
2. Kent Securitas Depot (2006): Stole USD$92.5 million
On 22 February 2006, the Securitas Cash Management Ltd depot in Vale Road, Tonbridge, Kent, England, was a robbed between 01:00 and 02:15 UTC. Approximately, six men abducted and threatened the family of the depot manager Colin Dixon at about 18:30 on 21 February. The manager's wife and eight-year-old son were being held hostage at their home in Herne Bay after they answered the door to men dressed in police uniforms. The men falsely informed them that the manager had been involved in a road traffic accident. They were then driven to the farm where the manager was being held after being abducted at gunpoint. Held at gunpoint, the robbers took the depot manager, his wife and son to the Securitas depot in Tonbridge at approximately 01:00. Once they arrived at the depot, the armed robbers tied up 14 members of staff then proceeded to rob the deposit. They stole £53,116,760 (about US$92.5 million or €78 million) in bank notes making it the large heist in British history.
1. Great Train Robbery (1963): Robbers held up a train without guns and stole US$74 million
In August 8, 1963, the Bridego Railway Bridge, Ledburn near Mentmore in Buckinghamshire, England made its way into the history books when a 15-member gang raided the Royal Mail's Glasgow to London travelling post office (TPO) train. Led by Bruce Reynolds the gang included Ronnie Biggs, Charlie Wilson, Jimmy Hussey, John Wheater, Brian Field, Jimmy White, Tommy Wisbey, Gordon Goody and Buster Edwards. Together the gang stole £2.3 million in used £1, £5 and £10 notes. In modern times, that amount is equivalent of £40 million (US $74 million). Thirteen of the gang were captured and sent to prison. Initially, both Biggs and Wilson managed to evade long-term imprison when Biggs escaped from prison and fled to Melbourne Australia and Wilson moved to Montreal, Canada. Biggs later fled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil after British police tracked down his Melbourne address. Wilson on the other hand, merged into Canadian life for sometime until Scotland Yard discovered his whereabouts after his wife telephoned his parents.
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