Seven people in the UK have been arrested as suspects in a multi-million pound London jewelry theft that occurred at the Hatton Garden Safety Deposit Ltd. during Easter weekend. It is possibly thought to be the largest heist in UK history since the estimated value of the stolen items was more than 200 millionBritish pounds or the equivalent of almost 400 million US dollars.
The pictures of the incident depict the scene of the crime as one covered in dust and broken safety deposit boxes. Bars were also cut out of a safety door, granting the thieves access. They reportedly traveled down an elevator shaft and drilled through a two-meter thick wall in order to get inside the vault at the Hatton Garden Safety Deposit Ltd. office. Once they had cut into the safe, the thieves took cash, diamonds, gold and other gems. All of the items belonged to the hundreds of jewelry, gold and gem dealers in the Hatton Garden area.
UK Police Raid 12 Places in London Jewelry Theft Arrests
Hundreds of UK policemen headed to a dozen places in north London and southeastern England on Tuesday to arrest seven British men in connection with the London jewelry theft. Three of the suspects were pensioners; aged 67, 74 and 78-years old, and the other four were all aged 48 years and older. They are charged with suspicion of conspiracy to burgle.
British detectives are said to have brought out several huge bags full of valuables that are thought to be from the London jewelry theft case.
Before this London jewelry theft, the largest heist was a robbery in Tonbridge in 2006. At that time, the thieves got away with about 53 million British pounds or $103 million US dollars in cash. If the thieves had been successful, however, they would have escaped with more than 350 million British pounds or $683 million US dollars from a business area in London.