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Hatton Garden jewellery heist: Three guilty over £14m burglary | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Three men have been found guilty of involvement in the "largest burglary in English legal history". | |
Carl Wood, William Lincoln and Hugh Doyle were connected to the £14m Hatton Garden jewellery raid, a jury at Woolwich Crown Court decided. | |
Jon Harbinson - Lincoln's nephew - was cleared of playing a part in the heist last Easter weekend. He has been set free after eight months in custody. | |
Four other men previously admitted conspiracy to commit burglary. | Four other men previously admitted conspiracy to commit burglary. |
BBC Correspondent Ben Ando, who was in court, said as Mr Harbinson left the dock the other defendants shook his hand. | |
During the raid the gang used heavy cutting equipment to get into a vault at the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd and ransack 56 safe deposit boxes. | During the raid the gang used heavy cutting equipment to get into a vault at the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd and ransack 56 safe deposit boxes. |
Gold, diamonds and sapphires, together worth up to £14m, were taken. Two thirds of the valuables remain unrecovered. | Gold, diamonds and sapphires, together worth up to £14m, were taken. Two thirds of the valuables remain unrecovered. |
Another man, known only as "Basil", who let his co-conspirators into the Hatton Garden building by opening the fire escape from inside is yet to be identified. | Another man, known only as "Basil", who let his co-conspirators into the Hatton Garden building by opening the fire escape from inside is yet to be identified. |
Defendants and verdicts | |
Reviewing lawyer Ed Hall from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "The four main ringleaders, a close-knit group of experienced criminals, some of whom had been involved in other high-value crimes, pleaded guilty after realising the strength of the case against them. | Reviewing lawyer Ed Hall from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "The four main ringleaders, a close-knit group of experienced criminals, some of whom had been involved in other high-value crimes, pleaded guilty after realising the strength of the case against them. |
"As a result of this trial, three other men who played significant roles, including the moving and concealing the stolen gold and jewels, have also been convicted." | "As a result of this trial, three other men who played significant roles, including the moving and concealing the stolen gold and jewels, have also been convicted." |
During the trial it was revealed that Reader had been involved in the £26m Brinks Mat gold bullion robbery, and Perkins in the £6m Security Express raid. | |
They were arrested after police bugged their cars and heard them bragging. | |
Perkins was heard saying: "I'm going to melt my good gold down. The Indian, the 18, that could be my pension." | |
During the case, prosecutor Philip Evans told the jury: "These four ringleaders and organisers of this conspiracy, although senior in years, brought with them a great deal of experience in planning and executing sophisticated and serious acquisitive crime not dissimilar to this. | |
"This offence was to be the largest burglary in English legal history." | |
There was no forensic trace left at the vault by the gang, but police found a number of stolen goods during house searches as well as a copy of Forensics For Dummies at Jones's house and a book on the diamond underworld at Reader's home. | |
Wood and Lincoln will be sentenced on 7 March, while legal discussions are due to take place later regarding the sentencing of Hugh Doyle. | Wood and Lincoln will be sentenced on 7 March, while legal discussions are due to take place later regarding the sentencing of Hugh Doyle. |
It can now be reported that Perkins' daughter, Terri Robinson, 35, of Sterling Road, Enfield, also faces being jailed. She pleaded guilty to concealing, converting or transferring criminal property. | |
Her brother-in-law, Brenn Walters, 43, who is also known as Ben Perkins, admitted the same offence. |