Hatton Garden thieves 'bagged £20m': Jewellery and cash taken was worth up to DOUBLE the original estimate with a 'significant amount' of the haul still missing 

  • Police believe Hatton Garden thieves stole double amount initially thought
  • Think ‘significant amount’ worth millions of pounds remain missing 
  • Bags stuffed with valuables were found at a property in north London
  • See our full coverage of news from London 

By Chris Greenwood Crime Correspondent For The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Jewellery, gems and cash worth up to £20million – double the original estimate – was stolen in the Hatton Garden heist, police fear.

Officers now believe that a ‘significant amount’ of precious items remain missing after thieves dressed as builders drilled a hole through a concrete wall to get into the vault over the Easter weekend.

Three holdalls stuffed with valuables were later found at a property in north London. 

Officers believe that a ‘significant amount’ of precious items remain missing after thieves dressed as builders drilled a hole (pictured) through a concrete wall to get into the vault in Hatton Garden, London

Officers believe that a ‘significant amount’ of precious items remain missing after thieves dressed as builders drilled a hole (pictured) through a concrete wall to get into the vault in Hatton Garden, London

Detectives suspect the unimposing site was to be used as a ‘smelting plant’ to process the gold so it could be sold on.

Investigators have spent months cataloguing the recovered goods at a secret secure location.

They are being compared with records, statements and photographs provided by customers of the Central London safe deposit firm in the hope of returning them. 

Their work has now revealed the total value of the stolen haul could be far higher than anticipated.

A gang of thieves staged a dramatic raid at the landmark premises of the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company over the April Bank Holiday weekend. 

Scotland Yard’s Flying Squad launched a huge inquiry which has led to the arrest of 13 people. Three more have been interviewed under caution.

A gang of thieves staged a dramatic raid at the landmark premises of the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company over the April Bank Holiday weekend

A gang of thieves staged a dramatic raid at the landmark premises of the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company over the April Bank Holiday weekend

Last week two alleged members of the gang, Paul Reader, 50, and Carl Wood, 58, denied any involvement in the raid.

They will join plumber Hugh Doyle, 48, taxi driver John Harbinson, 42 and former mechanic William Lincoln, 59, on trial in November.

All five are charged with conspiracy to burgle and conspiring to launder the spoils of the commercial burglary.

The trial will take place at the Woolwich courthouse and is expected to last at least eight weeks.

Four other men, John Collins, 75, Daniel Jones, 58, Terry Perkins, 67 and Brian Reader, 76, have admitted one charge of burglary. 

A further four suspects, Steven Robinson, 46, Terri Robinson, 35, Laura Perkins, 40, and Brenn Walters, 43, are accused of money laundering. They are expected to face trial next year.

Last month the safe deposit box firm announced it is shutting down after trade dropped off in the wake of the high-profile theft.

The company, owned by Sudan-based Mahendra Bavishi, and his son Manish, appointed accountancy firm SPW as liquidators.

Sunney Sagoo, of SPW, said: ‘Following the robbery, trade dried up and they applied for company voluntary liquidation.

‘The company is insolvent and it can no longer carry on trading. We are now taking steps to close the company down.

‘It went into liquidation to preserve the company’s assets and safeguard the deposit boxes.’ 

London

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