2015
The Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Burglary
£14 million+ · The "Bad Grandpas" - average age 63
At least £14 million in cash, jewellery, and valuables. Some estimates suggest much more.
The Crew
Brian Reader, 77 - the mastermind. Terry Perkins, 67 - celebrated his birthday during the heist. John Collins, 75. Daniel Jones, 63. Carl Wood, 59. William Lincoln, 60.
Average age: 63.
The Job
Easter weekend, 2015. While London emptied for the holiday, six men descended into the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit building.
They entered through a lift shaft. They used a drill called a Hilti DD350 - the same type used to drill into bank vaults. They bored through 50 centimetres of reinforced concrete.
The hole was too small. They came back the next night with a bigger drill.
Inside the vault, they emptied 73 safe deposit boxes. They filled wheelie bins with the contents and simply walked out.
The Mistake
Old habits. The crew met at the same pub. Used their own cars. Called each other on their own phones.
Police called them analogue criminals in a digital age.
The Flying Squad was watching within days.
“If we get nicked, at least we can hold our heads up that we had a last fling.”
— Terry Perkins
The Aftermath
All six were caught. Reader got 6 years. Perkins got 7. Most died in prison or shortly after release.
Brian Readers character was later played by Michael Caine in the 2018 film King of Thieves.
The numbers
4
Days
73
Boxes emptied
£14 million+
Total take
63
Average age
1 last fling
Legacy