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| Most of Hatton Garden heist haul recovered, police believe | Most of Hatton Garden heist haul recovered, police believe |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Detectives investigating the gang that pulled off the Hatton Garden heist believe they have now recovered most of the valuables stolen during the audacious raid. | Detectives investigating the gang that pulled off the Hatton Garden heist believe they have now recovered most of the valuables stolen during the audacious raid. |
| Nine people continued to be questioned on Wednesday after being arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of burglary from the safety deposit box vault at Hatton Garden, in the heart of London’s diamond district, over the Easter weekend. | Nine people continued to be questioned on Wednesday after being arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of burglary from the safety deposit box vault at Hatton Garden, in the heart of London’s diamond district, over the Easter weekend. |
| The majority of the valuables linked to the theft were found at one of at least 12 addresses searched on Tuesday, stashed in bags. Police were trying to establish who owned the property they recovered. | The majority of the valuables linked to the theft were found at one of at least 12 addresses searched on Tuesday, stashed in bags. Police were trying to establish who owned the property they recovered. |
| Covert officers staked out various addresses before 200 police swooped on Tuesday morning. Armed officers were at some of the raids but were not deployed to enter any of the homes. | Covert officers staked out various addresses before 200 police swooped on Tuesday morning. Armed officers were at some of the raids but were not deployed to enter any of the homes. |
| Three pensioners, the oldest aged 76, were among those detained during the raids in London and Kent. | Three pensioners, the oldest aged 76, were among those detained during the raids in London and Kent. |
| One of the addresses being searched was an £800,000 property in Dartford, Kent. Two arrests were made at the property, of males aged 50 and 76. According to official documents, two males called Paul and Brian Reader were registered as living at the address. | One of the addresses being searched was an £800,000 property in Dartford, Kent. Two arrests were made at the property, of males aged 50 and 76. According to official documents, two males called Paul and Brian Reader were registered as living at the address. |
| One of those arrested in north London is Hugh Doyle, registered on the electoral roll as living at Riverside Gardens, which has been the subject of a police presence. A plumbing and heating business is also linked to the property. | |
| Neighbours said a family of four, including two children, reside in the large house. One woman, who employed the man to work on plumbing in her nearby home, said there had been a police presence at the property for nearly 24 hours. | |
| Millions of pounds-worth of jewels, cash and other valuables are believed to have been stolen from the Hatton Garden vault by a gang who bored through a thick concrete wall to break in. | Millions of pounds-worth of jewels, cash and other valuables are believed to have been stolen from the Hatton Garden vault by a gang who bored through a thick concrete wall to break in. |
| The first set of arrests were made at 10.30am on Tuesday. As well as the arrests in Dartford, another four men – aged 48, 58, 67 and 74 – were arrested in Enfield, north London, while a seventh man, aged 59, was arrested in east London. | The first set of arrests were made at 10.30am on Tuesday. As well as the arrests in Dartford, another four men – aged 48, 58, 67 and 74 – were arrested in Enfield, north London, while a seventh man, aged 59, was arrested in east London. |
| Two further arrests were made later in north London, of men aged 43 and 58. All nine were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle. | Two further arrests were made later in north London, of men aged 43 and 58. All nine were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle. |
| Police said all those arrested were white British males, undermining early speculation that an east European gang may have been behind the robbery. | Police said all those arrested were white British males, undermining early speculation that an east European gang may have been behind the robbery. |
| During the heist the gang rifled through 72 secure boxes. They left behind tools, including drills, crowbars and angle-grinders used to force the boxes open. Officers have been trying to find out why only 72 of 999 boxes were opened. | During the heist the gang rifled through 72 secure boxes. They left behind tools, including drills, crowbars and angle-grinders used to force the boxes open. Officers have been trying to find out why only 72 of 999 boxes were opened. |
| Forensic experts were given priority at the crime scene, which was left strewn with dust, rubble, and equipment used by the gang. Material they were able to recover, such as DNA and fingerprints, may be crucial to enabling prosecutions. | Forensic experts were given priority at the crime scene, which was left strewn with dust, rubble, and equipment used by the gang. Material they were able to recover, such as DNA and fingerprints, may be crucial to enabling prosecutions. |
| Police believed the gang had substantial criminal knowhow and sophisticated skills, as they would be needed to bypass the tight security. The gang would have had to know how to gain intelligence about the premises, when it might be vacant, how to access the equipment to drill through the concrete wall encasing the vault, how to break into the boxes, and how to transport away any valuables they got hold of. | Police believed the gang had substantial criminal knowhow and sophisticated skills, as they would be needed to bypass the tight security. The gang would have had to know how to gain intelligence about the premises, when it might be vacant, how to access the equipment to drill through the concrete wall encasing the vault, how to break into the boxes, and how to transport away any valuables they got hold of. |
| Businesses in Hatton Garden expressed relief on Wednesday that the police were making progress in the case. Many were not insured when the heist happened, believing the safety deposit boxes to be impenetrable. | Businesses in Hatton Garden expressed relief on Wednesday that the police were making progress in the case. Many were not insured when the heist happened, believing the safety deposit boxes to be impenetrable. |
| Michael Miller, a Knightsbridge-based jeweller who had uninsured property in the boxes, said he heard about the arrests on the news – but added it appeared likely it would be days before it became clear what may be returned. | Michael Miller, a Knightsbridge-based jeweller who had uninsured property in the boxes, said he heard about the arrests on the news – but added it appeared likely it would be days before it became clear what may be returned. |
| “The police … said they retrieved large bags of high-value items, I don’t know how they can relate that to the actual burglary. The last thing I heard was the police were asking people who had their boxes broken into to come in and identify their property, so it might take a couple of days or weeks,” he said. | “The police … said they retrieved large bags of high-value items, I don’t know how they can relate that to the actual burglary. The last thing I heard was the police were asking people who had their boxes broken into to come in and identify their property, so it might take a couple of days or weeks,” he said. |
| Daniel Caspi, another local jeweller, also welcomed news of the arrests. “If the goods that have been recovered are those from the Hatton Garden theft, our only concern is that they be returned as soon as possible so the jewellers concerned can carry on with their livelihood, which has been put on hold for the past few weeks.” | Daniel Caspi, another local jeweller, also welcomed news of the arrests. “If the goods that have been recovered are those from the Hatton Garden theft, our only concern is that they be returned as soon as possible so the jewellers concerned can carry on with their livelihood, which has been put on hold for the past few weeks.” |
| Caspi said there was a sense of pride in the Metropolitan police and their investigation, but that it was too early to say whether jewellers would be getting their property back as the police needed to determine ownership of the valuables. | Caspi said there was a sense of pride in the Metropolitan police and their investigation, but that it was too early to say whether jewellers would be getting their property back as the police needed to determine ownership of the valuables. |
| “The next stage [should be] that the goods are returned speedily to their rightful owners. The main concern is the efficiency at which this will be handled, that the goods won’t be held back from them to stop them from working, for evidence or any prosecution that may happen in due course, and be bogged down in the legal system for two or three years. That’s our only concern.” | “The next stage [should be] that the goods are returned speedily to their rightful owners. The main concern is the efficiency at which this will be handled, that the goods won’t be held back from them to stop them from working, for evidence or any prosecution that may happen in due course, and be bogged down in the legal system for two or three years. That’s our only concern.” |
| Gerald Landon, another jeweller in the district, said he had believed for two weeks that he had property stolen in the raid, but he said: “My box thankfully wasn’t broken into. I eventually found out I was one of the lucky ones, but it caused quite a trauma for two and a half weeks. Nobody knew exactly what had happened.” | Gerald Landon, another jeweller in the district, said he had believed for two weeks that he had property stolen in the raid, but he said: “My box thankfully wasn’t broken into. I eventually found out I was one of the lucky ones, but it caused quite a trauma for two and a half weeks. Nobody knew exactly what had happened.” |
| Landon said it was “fantastic news” that suspects had been arrested. “One of the guys I know who unfortunately had a loss was informed of the arrests by the flying squad,” he said. “That was the first news that he got that they’d made arrests. Hopefully they’ll recover a considerable amount of goods.” | Landon said it was “fantastic news” that suspects had been arrested. “One of the guys I know who unfortunately had a loss was informed of the arrests by the flying squad,” he said. “That was the first news that he got that they’d made arrests. Hopefully they’ll recover a considerable amount of goods.” |