This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/09/hatton-garden-jewellery-thieves-used-lift-shaft-to-access-vaults-police-reveal
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Hatton Garden jewellery thieves used lift shaft to access vaults, police reveal | Hatton Garden jewellery thieves used lift shaft to access vaults, police reveal |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Thieves who raided a safe deposit facility in London’s jewellery quarter disabled a lift and clambered into the basement via the shaft before drilling into the vault walls with heavy-duty tools, police revealed on Thursday. | Thieves who raided a safe deposit facility in London’s jewellery quarter disabled a lift and clambered into the basement via the shaft before drilling into the vault walls with heavy-duty tools, police revealed on Thursday. |
| Police said the owners of about 70 security boxes raided over the Easter weekend were in the process of being identified and contacted, but many clients of the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd said they still had no idea whether or not their goods had been taken. | Police said the owners of about 70 security boxes raided over the Easter weekend were in the process of being identified and contacted, but many clients of the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd said they still had no idea whether or not their goods had been taken. |
| Related: Is history the key to finding the Hatton Garden diamonds? | Related: Is history the key to finding the Hatton Garden diamonds? |
| At a packed press conference on the pavement outside the premises, police said there had been no forced entry, adding to speculation that the thieves had inside knowledge. | At a packed press conference on the pavement outside the premises, police said there had been no forced entry, adding to speculation that the thieves had inside knowledge. |
| The flying squad’s DCI Paul Johnson said police were called on Tuesday at 8.10am. “[The thieves] forced open shutter doors into the basement where Hatton Garden Safe Deposit is, then made their way to the vault where they used a Hilti DD350 drill to bore holes into the vault wall. The wall is two metres thick and made of reinforced concrete.” | The flying squad’s DCI Paul Johnson said police were called on Tuesday at 8.10am. “[The thieves] forced open shutter doors into the basement where Hatton Garden Safe Deposit is, then made their way to the vault where they used a Hilti DD350 drill to bore holes into the vault wall. The wall is two metres thick and made of reinforced concrete.” |
| Johnson said officers found a chaotic scene: “The vault is covered in dust and debris and the floor is strewn with discarded safety deposit boxes and numerous power tools, including an angle grinder, concrete drills and crowbars. | Johnson said officers found a chaotic scene: “The vault is covered in dust and debris and the floor is strewn with discarded safety deposit boxes and numerous power tools, including an angle grinder, concrete drills and crowbars. |
| “In the vault, there is property on the floor, there are open security boxes, there’s a lot of dust and debris.” | “In the vault, there is property on the floor, there are open security boxes, there’s a lot of dust and debris.” |
| He refused to elaborate on claims that the building’s alarm had been activated on Friday and that police had been called and refused to comment on whether or not the CCTV and alarm system were working at the time of the heist or when it was thought thieves had carried out the raid. Such details would “form part of the investigation”, Johnson said. | He refused to elaborate on claims that the building’s alarm had been activated on Friday and that police had been called and refused to comment on whether or not the CCTV and alarm system were working at the time of the heist or when it was thought thieves had carried out the raid. Such details would “form part of the investigation”, Johnson said. |
| No arrests have been made and no one has been questioned in connection with the crime. Johnson refused to respond to enquiries asking if a security guard had been questioned. | No arrests have been made and no one has been questioned in connection with the crime. Johnson refused to respond to enquiries asking if a security guard had been questioned. |
| Police do not know if the stolen goods are still in the country or have been shipped abroad. | Police do not know if the stolen goods are still in the country or have been shipped abroad. |
| Johnson said forensic teams were examining the scene for clues. “This is a painstaking process but it essential to ensure we gather as much evidence and opportunities to identify the thieves. Officers are gathering and examining CCTV to identify any possible leads.” | Johnson said forensic teams were examining the scene for clues. “This is a painstaking process but it essential to ensure we gather as much evidence and opportunities to identify the thieves. Officers are gathering and examining CCTV to identify any possible leads.” |
| Asked if the lack of evidence of a forced break in suggested an inside job, he said: “I’d say it’s a sophisticated offence clearly and it would take some planning. Whether that involved inside knowledge will form part of the investigation.” | Asked if the lack of evidence of a forced break in suggested an inside job, he said: “I’d say it’s a sophisticated offence clearly and it would take some planning. Whether that involved inside knowledge will form part of the investigation.” |
| He said the robbery was extremely skillful and well planned, not the work of a common thief. “It is organised, it is sophisticated. The people who carried it out clearly knew what they were doing, so I imagine the number of people who could carry out this crime is quite limited,” he said. | He said the robbery was extremely skillful and well planned, not the work of a common thief. “It is organised, it is sophisticated. The people who carried it out clearly knew what they were doing, so I imagine the number of people who could carry out this crime is quite limited,” he said. |
| Some jewellers and traders in Hatton Garden, known as the heart of London’s gem trade, spoke of their anger at police. | Some jewellers and traders in Hatton Garden, known as the heart of London’s gem trade, spoke of their anger at police. |
| Michael, a jeweller who is waiting to find out the fate of his security deposit box, said it was unacceptable that the police had not informed anyone about the extent of the damage. | Michael, a jeweller who is waiting to find out the fate of his security deposit box, said it was unacceptable that the police had not informed anyone about the extent of the damage. |
| “The police response is that they might be taking their time because they’re doing everything so meticulously, but I don’t believe that,” he said. “How can the police say they won’t speculate when by saying nothing they are inviting speculation?” | “The police response is that they might be taking their time because they’re doing everything so meticulously, but I don’t believe that,” he said. “How can the police say they won’t speculate when by saying nothing they are inviting speculation?” |
| He said he had potentially lost “only around £15,000” but a friend was waiting to hear if he had lost property worth “half a million upwards”. | |
| One trader, who has been in the business for 33 years and wished to remain anonymous, said: “A lot of my colleagues have had sleepless nights to find out if they’ve been picked or not. The police should put them out of their misery and just tell them.” |