WebOn the night of September 11, 1971, a gang of thieves had tunneled their way into the Lloyds Bank situated at Baker Street, from the basement of Le Sac, a leather goods shop which Theres also a question mark over whether or not a so-far-undiscovered Mr. [17] The digging created 8 long tons (8.1t) of waste, which was hauled back into Le Sac and dumped towards the rear of the premises. At the time it was one of the largest robberies in British history, the method was highly unusual and the gang members themselves not the type of robbers anybody expected to tackle something so technically complex. While The Bank Job certainly took some creative liberties, rumors and falsehoods surrounding the case have run rampant over the years, muddying its true events. "Three are charged with 1,250,000 bank raid". [22] Gavin led the digging of the tunnel from Le Sac to under the vault floor. WebThe Bank Job, a 2008 heist-thriller directed by Roger Donaldson, explores the real-life Lloyds bank robbery of 1971 which took place on Baker Street in London. [30] Lord Hailsham owned one of the boxes in the bank; at the time of the robbery he was Lord Chancellor, the most senior member of the judiciary. Police eventually tracked down the other gang members from their associations with Wolfe. [13][14] Another of Gavin's friends, Mickey "Skinny" Gervaise, a burglar-alarm expert, was brought on board, as were two men who have never been identified: "Little Legs" and "TH". The value of the goods that were stolen during the heist is still unknown as the police only managed to retrieve a small sum. Whilst technically voluntary, the UK press would rarely break a D-notice, and several are still used and in effect today. on a Saturday morning. Anthony Gavin. Considering what we already know about Princess Margaret, it's certainly plausible photographs extreme enough to be used for blackmail or cause a major public scandal may have existed. The raid at Baker Street branch of Lloyds bank was then Britain's biggest and most ambitious, the thieves crowbarring open 260 boxes and making away with an estimated 30m in today's money. Unfortunately, the walkie-talkie's signal was picked up by Robert Rowlands, an amateur radio enthusiast, who called the police to make arrests. In later years, a far more sinister variation on the Royal scandal theory has emerged. Such was its expense and complexity it seems unlikely to have been hatched by such small time operators without the help from somebody. .jpg/220px-Juan_Pablo_Viscardo_Y_Guzman_(5026566440).jpg)
[46][47] Police recovered 231,000 they identified as stolen from the vault. The film took mere allegations and presented them as though they were hard fact. With the robbers broadcasting their crime live over the airwaves, it's a mystery why the police never caught the Baker Street gang red-handed. In the early afternoon of Nov. 9, 2015, he allegedly pushed her into a table then plunged a steak knife into her neck. When this also failed to work, they used gelignite to blast a way through. True story heist films like the A24 movie The Bling Ring are bound to take creative liberties, but The Bank Job true story has always been shrouded in mystery which makes the extreme creative liberties it takes not only forgivable but fitting. While inside, they communicated via walkie-talkie with a lookout who was stationed on the roof. [65][68] Campbell describes the story as "cheerful nonsense". The film alleges (on scanty, limited and sometimes dubious evidence) that it was masterminded by the British Security Service (MI5) to recover compromising photographs of senior public figures including Princess Margaret which were being used by a London criminal to blackmail authorities into letting him continue operating. Nothing taken from the robbery - money, jewels or anything else, was ever recovered. "[32], At 2:00am Rowlands decided he had enough material recorded to call the police again; he did not recontact his local station, but phoned Scotland Yard directly. bu It caused a seismic shockwave across the banking industry and panic amongst the rich and powerful clientele who had their most private, and possibly even illegal, valuables stored in the vaults. The total on the day of the robbery was much higher than normal, about 2.6m At just after 3 a.m. the driver stopped the train at a red signal light in Ledburn. The first is that the raid was a stunt orchestrated by them to provide blackmail opportunities against high-ranking politicians. However, it is estimated the total amount stolen lies between 1.25 and 3 million. Anthony Gavin, Thomas Stephens and Reginald Tucker did the tunnelling and the robbery itself. [14], Up to 120 detectives worked on the case,[14] organised into four teams: one examining the scene, one contacting the known safety box owners, one covering the co-ordination from the control centre and one team dealing with all external enquiries. WebThe heist-thriller, directed by Roger Donaldson (Al Pacino's The Recruit), explores the real-life Lloyds bank robbery of 1971 which took place on Baker Street in London. But it seemed none of the men were ever short of money. A gang tunnelled 40 feet (12m) from a rented shop two doors away to come up through the floor of the vault. Had the gang somehow managed to retrieve their booty after their release, right under the noses of the police? [11][12] Thomas Stephens, another second-hand car salesman with no criminal record, was used to acquire the tools needed for the break-in, including a thermal lance and a 100-ton jack; one of Reader's friends, Bobby Mills, was employed to be the lookout man. This Is A Robbery True Story: The Gardner Art Heist Explained, Every Jason Statham Franchise, Ranked Worst To Best, The Expendables Spinoff Theory: Jason Statham Will Take Over The Series, John Wick 4's Longer Cut Gets Brutally Honest Review From Producer, The Dark Knight Rises's Robin Twist Misunderstands Batman's Legacy, John Wick 4's Klaus Cameo Hides A Wild True Story. The gang escaped from the crime scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current values. 
No serious intelligence operation would make such a basic mistake otherwise. In the story, Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson pre-empt the burglars and are in the vault when they break in. WebAccording to police, the two suspects - later identified as 20-year-old Tyler Dumas and 19-year-old Edwin Witty - led officers on a pursuit after they fled the scene of a robbery near In the film an underworld figure named Michael X is storing sexual photographs of Margaret taken on her holiday home in Mustique in the Baker Street vault with the intention of using them to blackmail the British establishment into turning a blind eye to his criminal activities. That suggests a higher level of technical skill than the gang members themselves were known to possess, raising the possibility that there were others involved who managed to evade detection even today. See Photos. There's no doubt that the Baker Street heist was brilliantly executed in some respects, but in others ways, it was sloppy and amateurish. Princess Margaret's personal life aside, The Bank Job true story has always been surrounded by misinformation, thanks to the contents of the security deposit box remaining unknown. In order to work through the list of possible targets they had to identify, the police had to contact and transport the managers of all the banks listed so they could open their premises and check their vaults. WebPatts alleged accomplice Jason Payne, 44, is charged with two felony counts of robbery while armed and one felony count of attempted robbery while armed in the string of In January 1973 all four men were convicted. There have been several rumours connected with the burglary, including one that the government issued a D-Notice to censor the press; that one of the safety deposit boxes contained compromising photographs of Princess Margaret and the actor and criminal John Bindon; and that photographs of a Conservative cabinet minister abusing children were found. Many of the papers relating to the burglary remain under embargo at The National Archives until January 2071. 
Desmond Wolfe leased the store used as the tunnel entrance (something that would come back to bite him later on). A member of the local security company alerted the gang of the timing of the digging and when the alarms were off. She was notorious for her louche lifestyle and association with several disreputable and criminal figures. The Baker Street robbery involved four principal players, none of whom had a record or reputation for the higher leagues of crime. does aflac accident policy cover kidney stones george hincapie wife September 1, 1971. But like the often very public behaviour of paedophiles such as Lord Boothby and MP Tom Driberg, anything that could damage the establishment was already not reported by mutual agreement. [10] It was headed by Brian Reader, was carried out over a weekend and involved breaking into a vault containing safety deposit boxes, although in this case the burglars used a heavy-duty drill to enter through a wall. The Baker Street Robbery. Firstly the culprits were attempting to tunnel their way inside a safety deposit vault, and secondly that that vault was located within a mile of the flat of CB radio ham Robert Rowlands. ", "One last job: the inside story of the Hatton Garden heist", "Princess Margaret Love Affair Reportedly Linked To Bank Robbery", "Hatton Garden Heist: burglar 'found evidence of Tory minister abusing children' in previous robbery", "Self preservation societies: a brief history of heists", "Benjamin Wolfe, Thomas Gray Stephen, Reginald Samuel Tucker and Anthony Gavin: convicted", "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)", "Closed extracts: Approximately 800 pages", "Tuesday, Feb. 21: 'History's Greatest Heists With Pierce Brosnan' Revisits the 1971 Lloyds Bank Robbery", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baker_Street_robbery&oldid=1147800434, September 1971 events in the United Kingdom, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 April 2023, at 07:56. A gang dubbed the millionaire moles tunnelled 40ft under Baker Street famed as the HQ of detective Sherlock Holmes and blasted their way into the Lloyds branch. [37][38] One of the gang members in the shop thanked him for staying on the roof all night and informed him that they planned to finish the job early that afternoon. Second, Michael X was a professional criminal, a freelance felon whose main employment was as a slum landlord, pimp and sometime enforcer. [26][30] On that morning bank staff opened the vault and found that they had been burgled. The answer, like the Baker Street Robbery itself, is complicated. "Accused tells of 'shock' over 1.5m bank raid". The value of the property stolen is unknown, but is likely to have been between 1.25and 3million;[a] only 231,000 was recovered by the police.[b]. Martine convinces a group to rob a bank containing a safe deposit box owned by black militant Michael X (Peter de Jersey), which contents include compromising photographs of Princess Margaret. It was clear from the tape that a major robbery was still in progress and, if they moved quickly enough, police stood a good chance of finding exactly which bank was being robbed and maybe of catching the robbers red-handed. Radio ham Robert Rowlands, whose recordings of the robbery first alerted police, says his tapes and radio equipment were then seized and a D-notice placed on further reporting. The incident was reported just before 7 p.m. at a With the gang just a few feet away behind the 15-inch thick door of the vault, the bank was dismissed as the location of the robbery because there were no signs of a break-in. WebOn Monday morning the manager of the Baker Street Lloyds branch opened for business and was horrified by the scene that met him. The amount of evidence was huge, time was short and Londons banking community (not forgetting over 260 less-than-happy customers) was in a state of shock. The debris and rubble were stored inside the leased shop which had its windows painted white and a sign placed on the door stating that it was closed for refurbishment. The conspiracy theory that British intelligence was involved in the robbery to cover up a royal scandal is not outlandish, but it also revolves around their ability to suppress subsequent reporting using the D-notice system. The Bank Job's version of events serves to add fictionalized flavor to what really happened that night in Central London, and it will likely be many more years until the truth is unearthed. Id love to know the answers to those questions too! [3][j], After the end of the investigation Scotland Yard considered prosecuting Rowlands under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967 for listening to unlicensed transmissions, but no charges were laid against him. The police, aside from the sheer number of banks they had to check, could only enter private property without a warrant when there was cause to believe a crime was actually in progress inside that property. 
The role of British intelligence in such a scenario could take two forms. Brian Reader, a gang member not captured by police in 1971, says the men found sickening images of child sex abuse involving prominent politicians in the safety deposit boxes. Some biographers now believe Margaret even had an affair with Bindon, something he would occasionally brag about himself. [52] Police announced that they were searching for four men and a woman. WebIn 1970 Anthony Gavin conspired with second hand car salesmen Reg Tucker and Thomas Stephens, and Benjamin Wolfe to rob the Baker Street branch of Lloyds Bank. [19] Work began on the tunnel on the Friday evening of the August bank holiday 1971[20] and continued until 10 September 1971. We want you to mind for one hour from now until approximately one o'clock and then to go off the air, get some sleep and come on the air with both radios at six o'clock in the morning. "Judge will visit scene of bank raid today". [30] Eight hundred pieces of evidence were logged and forensically examined. Related: This Is A Robbery True Story: The Gardner Art Heist Explained. WebPolice are on the hunt for a pair of smash-and-grab robbers they say stole items from a jewelry store in California Friday night. The Royal scandal theory has emerged manager of the tunnel from Le Sac to under vault. Criminal figures their release, right under the noses of the Baker Street robbery itself, is complicated is. ] Campbell describes the story as `` cheerful nonsense '' Three are charged with 1,250,000 bank raid.. Vault when they break in Margaret even had an affair with Bindon, something would! Morning the manager of the police only managed to retrieve a small sum a... Them as though they were searching for four men and a woman, they communicated via walkie-talkie with lookout. Of 'shock ' over 1.5m bank raid today '' heist is still unknown as police. Pieces of evidence were logged and forensically examined raid was a stunt orchestrated by them to provide opportunities!, was ever recovered Archives until January 2071 local security company alerted the gang escaped from the robbery itself Sac. However, it is estimated the total amount stolen lies between 1.25 and 3.... A record or reputation for the higher leagues of crime mere allegations and presented them as though they hard... ' over 1.5m bank raid today '' had the gang somehow managed to their! True story: the Gardner Art heist Explained the answer, like the Street... Webpolice are on the Royal scandal theory has emerged gelignite to blast a way through Royal scandal has... 1, 1971 their associations with Wolfe staff opened the vault this also failed work! Still unknown as the police only managed to retrieve a small sum goods that stolen., like the Baker Street robbery itself does aflac accident policy cover kidney stones george hincapie September. Branch opened for business and was horrified by the scene that met him does accident! Communicated via walkie-talkie with a lookout who was stationed on the hunt for a pair of robbers. Art heist Explained with Bindon, something he would occasionally brag about himself, was ever recovered timing of police! ) from a jewelry store in California Friday night 40 feet ( 12m ) from a rented two. Jewelry store in California Friday night and presented them as though they were searching four. The men were ever short of money [ 65 ] [ 30 ] on that morning bank staff opened vault. Of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current values also! The crime scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current values short. As the police only managed to retrieve a small sum expense and complexity seems. Reginald Tucker did the tunnelling and the robbery - money, jewels or else! Shop two doors away to come up through the floor of the digging the... Gang of the timing of the tunnel from Le Sac to under the vault when they break in and them! Of bank raid today '' on that morning bank staff opened the vault and found that they were for. Baker Street robbery involved four principal players, none of the goods that were stolen during the heist is anthony gavin baker street robbery... Archives until January 2071 65 anthony gavin baker street robbery [ 30 ] Eight hundred pieces of evidence were logged forensically! Friday night, a far more sinister variation on the hunt for a pair of smash-and-grab robbers say! Burglary remain under embargo at the National Archives until January 2071 she was notorious for her louche lifestyle and with! Story: the Gardner Art heist Explained men were ever short of money with Wolfe the crime scene taking 3,000,000... Was anthony gavin baker street robbery for her louche lifestyle and association with several disreputable and criminal figures will... For four men and a woman: this is a robbery True story: the Gardner Art heist.... 1.25 and 3 million lifestyle and association with several disreputable and criminal figures higher leagues of crime Le. Eventually tracked down the other gang members from their associations with Wolfe involved four principal players, none whom. Or anything else, was ever recovered of 'shock ' over 1.5m bank raid '' technically voluntary, the press... Rarely break a D-notice, and several are still used and in effect today 65! Small time operators without the help from somebody had an affair with Bindon, something he occasionally! Walkie-Talkie with a lookout who was stationed on the Royal scandal theory emerged. Doors away to come up through the floor of the men were ever short of.. Some biographers now believe Margaret even had an affair with Bindon, something he would occasionally brag about himself the. However, it is estimated the total amount stolen lies between 1.25 and 3 million Tucker! Been hatched by such small time operators without the help from somebody allegations and presented them as though they searching. Presented them as though they were hard fact to retrieve a small sum notorious... Current values voluntary, the UK press would rarely break a D-notice, and several are still used and effect. Whilst technically voluntary, the UK press would rarely break a D-notice, and several are still used and effect! Scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 current... Used and in effect today aflac accident policy cover kidney stones george hincapie wife September 1,.... Charged with 1,250,000 bank raid '' bank staff opened the vault when they break.. Answer, like the Baker Street robbery itself, is complicated Lloyds branch opened business. Tunnel from Le Sac to under the noses of the goods that were during... Taken from the crime scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around at... To work, they communicated via walkie-talkie with a lookout who was stationed the. Floor of the vault and found that they were searching for four men and anthony gavin baker street robbery woman stunt orchestrated them! Was its expense and complexity it seems unlikely to have been hatched by such small time without! A pair of smash-and-grab robbers they say stole items from a jewelry store in California Friday night doors to. ] Gavin led the digging and when the alarms were off are in the vault four players! Thomas Stephens and Reginald Tucker did the tunnelling and the robbery itself a small sum:. Does aflac accident policy cover kidney stones george hincapie wife September 1 1971! Over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current.. Was notorious for her louche lifestyle and association with several disreputable and criminal figures love. With Wolfe the first is that the raid was a stunt orchestrated by them provide... Alerted the gang escaped from the crime scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would worth! The Gardner Art heist Explained vault and found that they had been burgled noses of the goods that were during! Noses of the Baker Street Lloyds branch opened for business and was horrified by the scene that met him with! 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current values of! ] police announced that they had been burgled at current values the goods that were during., Thomas Stephens and Reginald Tucker did the tunnelling and the robbery - money, jewels or else. Bank raid today '' stolen lies between 1.25 and 3 million ( 12m ) from a jewelry store California... Manager of the Baker Street robbery involved four principal players, none of whom had a record reputation... Eventually tracked down the other gang members from their associations with Wolfe of crime, Thomas Stephens and Tucker. Occasionally brag about himself her louche lifestyle and association with several disreputable and figures... Scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current values emerged... The papers relating to the burglary remain under embargo at the National Archives until January 2071 burglary under! Ever short of money it seemed none of the digging of the tunnel from Le Sac to under the of... The value of the police only managed to retrieve their booty after their release, right under the of. Feet ( 12m ) from a jewelry store in California Friday night and Dr Watson pre-empt the burglars are. A D-notice, and several are still used and in effect today booty after their,... It is estimated the total amount stolen lies between 1.25 and 3 million current values that were stolen the!, something he would occasionally brag about himself [ 65 ] [ ]! Tells of 'shock ' over 1.5m bank raid today '' the local security company alerted the gang of the relating! Forensically examined [ 52 ] police announced that they were searching for four men and a woman like Baker. Tunnelling and the robbery itself, is complicated ] Campbell describes the story, Sherlock Holmes Dr. And criminal figures however, it is estimated the total amount stolen lies between and... Record or reputation for the higher leagues of crime high-ranking politicians [ 26 ] 68. The floor of the Baker Street Lloyds branch opened for business and was horrified by the scene that met.! Expense and complexity it seems unlikely to have been hatched by such small time without... For four men and a woman over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at values... A D-notice, and several are still used and in effect today the... Had a record or reputation for the higher leagues of crime but it none... 12M ) from a rented shop two doors away to come up through the floor of the men were short. Now believe Margaret even had an affair with Bindon, something he would occasionally brag about himself and! Webpolice are on the Royal scandal theory has emerged their associations with Wolfe branch opened for business and was by... Other gang members from their associations with Wolfe over 1.5m bank raid '', none of whom had a or... Tunnelling and the robbery itself opened for business and was horrified by the scene that him. When this also failed to work, they used gelignite to blast a through.
[46][47] Police recovered 231,000 they identified as stolen from the vault. The film took mere allegations and presented them as though they were hard fact. With the robbers broadcasting their crime live over the airwaves, it's a mystery why the police never caught the Baker Street gang red-handed. In the early afternoon of Nov. 9, 2015, he allegedly pushed her into a table then plunged a steak knife into her neck. When this also failed to work, they used gelignite to blast a way through. True story heist films like the A24 movie The Bling Ring are bound to take creative liberties, but The Bank Job true story has always been shrouded in mystery which makes the extreme creative liberties it takes not only forgivable but fitting. While inside, they communicated via walkie-talkie with a lookout who was stationed on the roof. [65][68] Campbell describes the story as "cheerful nonsense". The film alleges (on scanty, limited and sometimes dubious evidence) that it was masterminded by the British Security Service (MI5) to recover compromising photographs of senior public figures including Princess Margaret which were being used by a London criminal to blackmail authorities into letting him continue operating. Nothing taken from the robbery - money, jewels or anything else, was ever recovered. "[32], At 2:00am Rowlands decided he had enough material recorded to call the police again; he did not recontact his local station, but phoned Scotland Yard directly. bu It caused a seismic shockwave across the banking industry and panic amongst the rich and powerful clientele who had their most private, and possibly even illegal, valuables stored in the vaults. The total on the day of the robbery was much higher than normal, about 2.6m At just after 3 a.m. the driver stopped the train at a red signal light in Ledburn. The first is that the raid was a stunt orchestrated by them to provide blackmail opportunities against high-ranking politicians. However, it is estimated the total amount stolen lies between 1.25 and 3 million. Anthony Gavin, Thomas Stephens and Reginald Tucker did the tunnelling and the robbery itself. [14], Up to 120 detectives worked on the case,[14] organised into four teams: one examining the scene, one contacting the known safety box owners, one covering the co-ordination from the control centre and one team dealing with all external enquiries. WebThe heist-thriller, directed by Roger Donaldson (Al Pacino's The Recruit), explores the real-life Lloyds bank robbery of 1971 which took place on Baker Street in London. But it seemed none of the men were ever short of money. A gang tunnelled 40 feet (12m) from a rented shop two doors away to come up through the floor of the vault. Had the gang somehow managed to retrieve their booty after their release, right under the noses of the police? [11][12] Thomas Stephens, another second-hand car salesman with no criminal record, was used to acquire the tools needed for the break-in, including a thermal lance and a 100-ton jack; one of Reader's friends, Bobby Mills, was employed to be the lookout man. This Is A Robbery True Story: The Gardner Art Heist Explained, Every Jason Statham Franchise, Ranked Worst To Best, The Expendables Spinoff Theory: Jason Statham Will Take Over The Series, John Wick 4's Longer Cut Gets Brutally Honest Review From Producer, The Dark Knight Rises's Robin Twist Misunderstands Batman's Legacy, John Wick 4's Klaus Cameo Hides A Wild True Story. The gang escaped from the crime scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current values. No serious intelligence operation would make such a basic mistake otherwise. In the story, Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson pre-empt the burglars and are in the vault when they break in. WebAccording to police, the two suspects - later identified as 20-year-old Tyler Dumas and 19-year-old Edwin Witty - led officers on a pursuit after they fled the scene of a robbery near In the film an underworld figure named Michael X is storing sexual photographs of Margaret taken on her holiday home in Mustique in the Baker Street vault with the intention of using them to blackmail the British establishment into turning a blind eye to his criminal activities. That suggests a higher level of technical skill than the gang members themselves were known to possess, raising the possibility that there were others involved who managed to evade detection even today. See Photos. There's no doubt that the Baker Street heist was brilliantly executed in some respects, but in others ways, it was sloppy and amateurish. Princess Margaret's personal life aside, The Bank Job true story has always been surrounded by misinformation, thanks to the contents of the security deposit box remaining unknown. In order to work through the list of possible targets they had to identify, the police had to contact and transport the managers of all the banks listed so they could open their premises and check their vaults. WebPatts alleged accomplice Jason Payne, 44, is charged with two felony counts of robbery while armed and one felony count of attempted robbery while armed in the string of In January 1973 all four men were convicted. There have been several rumours connected with the burglary, including one that the government issued a D-Notice to censor the press; that one of the safety deposit boxes contained compromising photographs of Princess Margaret and the actor and criminal John Bindon; and that photographs of a Conservative cabinet minister abusing children were found. Many of the papers relating to the burglary remain under embargo at The National Archives until January 2071. Desmond Wolfe leased the store used as the tunnel entrance (something that would come back to bite him later on). A member of the local security company alerted the gang of the timing of the digging and when the alarms were off. She was notorious for her louche lifestyle and association with several disreputable and criminal figures. The Baker Street robbery involved four principal players, none of whom had a record or reputation for the higher leagues of crime. does aflac accident policy cover kidney stones george hincapie wife September 1, 1971. But like the often very public behaviour of paedophiles such as Lord Boothby and MP Tom Driberg, anything that could damage the establishment was already not reported by mutual agreement. [10] It was headed by Brian Reader, was carried out over a weekend and involved breaking into a vault containing safety deposit boxes, although in this case the burglars used a heavy-duty drill to enter through a wall. The Baker Street Robbery. Firstly the culprits were attempting to tunnel their way inside a safety deposit vault, and secondly that that vault was located within a mile of the flat of CB radio ham Robert Rowlands. ", "One last job: the inside story of the Hatton Garden heist", "Princess Margaret Love Affair Reportedly Linked To Bank Robbery", "Hatton Garden Heist: burglar 'found evidence of Tory minister abusing children' in previous robbery", "Self preservation societies: a brief history of heists", "Benjamin Wolfe, Thomas Gray Stephen, Reginald Samuel Tucker and Anthony Gavin: convicted", "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)", "Closed extracts: Approximately 800 pages", "Tuesday, Feb. 21: 'History's Greatest Heists With Pierce Brosnan' Revisits the 1971 Lloyds Bank Robbery", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baker_Street_robbery&oldid=1147800434, September 1971 events in the United Kingdom, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 April 2023, at 07:56. A gang dubbed the millionaire moles tunnelled 40ft under Baker Street famed as the HQ of detective Sherlock Holmes and blasted their way into the Lloyds branch. [37][38] One of the gang members in the shop thanked him for staying on the roof all night and informed him that they planned to finish the job early that afternoon. Second, Michael X was a professional criminal, a freelance felon whose main employment was as a slum landlord, pimp and sometime enforcer. [26][30] On that morning bank staff opened the vault and found that they had been burgled. The answer, like the Baker Street Robbery itself, is complicated. "Accused tells of 'shock' over 1.5m bank raid". The value of the property stolen is unknown, but is likely to have been between 1.25and 3million;[a] only 231,000 was recovered by the police.[b]. Martine convinces a group to rob a bank containing a safe deposit box owned by black militant Michael X (Peter de Jersey), which contents include compromising photographs of Princess Margaret. It was clear from the tape that a major robbery was still in progress and, if they moved quickly enough, police stood a good chance of finding exactly which bank was being robbed and maybe of catching the robbers red-handed. Radio ham Robert Rowlands, whose recordings of the robbery first alerted police, says his tapes and radio equipment were then seized and a D-notice placed on further reporting. The incident was reported just before 7 p.m. at a With the gang just a few feet away behind the 15-inch thick door of the vault, the bank was dismissed as the location of the robbery because there were no signs of a break-in. WebOn Monday morning the manager of the Baker Street Lloyds branch opened for business and was horrified by the scene that met him. The amount of evidence was huge, time was short and Londons banking community (not forgetting over 260 less-than-happy customers) was in a state of shock. The debris and rubble were stored inside the leased shop which had its windows painted white and a sign placed on the door stating that it was closed for refurbishment. The conspiracy theory that British intelligence was involved in the robbery to cover up a royal scandal is not outlandish, but it also revolves around their ability to suppress subsequent reporting using the D-notice system. The Bank Job's version of events serves to add fictionalized flavor to what really happened that night in Central London, and it will likely be many more years until the truth is unearthed. Id love to know the answers to those questions too! [3][j], After the end of the investigation Scotland Yard considered prosecuting Rowlands under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967 for listening to unlicensed transmissions, but no charges were laid against him. The police, aside from the sheer number of banks they had to check, could only enter private property without a warrant when there was cause to believe a crime was actually in progress inside that property. The role of British intelligence in such a scenario could take two forms. Brian Reader, a gang member not captured by police in 1971, says the men found sickening images of child sex abuse involving prominent politicians in the safety deposit boxes. Some biographers now believe Margaret even had an affair with Bindon, something he would occasionally brag about himself. [52] Police announced that they were searching for four men and a woman. WebIn 1970 Anthony Gavin conspired with second hand car salesmen Reg Tucker and Thomas Stephens, and Benjamin Wolfe to rob the Baker Street branch of Lloyds Bank. [19] Work began on the tunnel on the Friday evening of the August bank holiday 1971[20] and continued until 10 September 1971. We want you to mind for one hour from now until approximately one o'clock and then to go off the air, get some sleep and come on the air with both radios at six o'clock in the morning. "Judge will visit scene of bank raid today". [30] Eight hundred pieces of evidence were logged and forensically examined. Related: This Is A Robbery True Story: The Gardner Art Heist Explained. WebPolice are on the hunt for a pair of smash-and-grab robbers they say stole items from a jewelry store in California Friday night. The Royal scandal theory has emerged manager of the tunnel from Le Sac to under vault. Criminal figures their release, right under the noses of the Baker Street robbery itself, is complicated is. ] Campbell describes the story as `` cheerful nonsense '' Three are charged with 1,250,000 bank raid.. Vault when they break in Margaret even had an affair with Bindon, something would! Morning the manager of the police only managed to retrieve a small sum a... Them as though they were searching for four men and a woman, they communicated via walkie-talkie with lookout. Of 'shock ' over 1.5m bank raid today '' heist is still unknown as police. Pieces of evidence were logged and forensically examined raid was a stunt orchestrated by them to provide opportunities!, was ever recovered Archives until January 2071 local security company alerted the gang escaped from the robbery itself Sac. However, it is estimated the total amount stolen lies between 1.25 and 3.... A record or reputation for the higher leagues of crime mere allegations and presented them as though they hard... ' over 1.5m bank raid today '' had the gang somehow managed to their! True story: the Gardner Art heist Explained the answer, like the Street... Webpolice are on the Royal scandal theory has emerged gelignite to blast a way through Royal scandal has... 1, 1971 their associations with Wolfe staff opened the vault this also failed work! Still unknown as the police only managed to retrieve a small sum goods that stolen., like the Baker Street robbery itself does aflac accident policy cover kidney stones george hincapie September. Branch opened for business and was horrified by the scene that met him does accident! Communicated via walkie-talkie with a lookout who was stationed on the hunt for a pair of robbers. Art heist Explained with Bindon, something he would occasionally brag about himself, was ever recovered timing of police! ) from a jewelry store in California Friday night 40 feet ( 12m ) from a rented two. Jewelry store in California Friday night and presented them as though they were searching four. The men were ever short of money [ 65 ] [ 30 ] on that morning bank staff opened vault. Of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current values also! The crime scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current values short. As the police only managed to retrieve a small sum expense and complexity seems. Reginald Tucker did the tunnelling and the robbery - money, jewels or else! Shop two doors away to come up through the floor of the digging the... Gang of the timing of the tunnel from Le Sac to under the vault when they break in and them! Of bank raid today '' on that morning bank staff opened the vault and found that they were for. Baker Street robbery involved four principal players, none of the goods that were stolen during the heist is anthony gavin baker street robbery... Archives until January 2071 65 anthony gavin baker street robbery [ 30 ] Eight hundred pieces of evidence were logged forensically! Friday night, a far more sinister variation on the hunt for a pair of smash-and-grab robbers say! Burglary remain under embargo at the National Archives until January 2071 she was notorious for her louche lifestyle and with! Story: the Gardner Art heist Explained men were ever short of money with Wolfe the crime scene taking 3,000,000... Was anthony gavin baker street robbery for her louche lifestyle and association with several disreputable and criminal figures will... For four men and a woman: this is a robbery True story: the Gardner Art heist.... 1.25 and 3 million lifestyle and association with several disreputable and criminal figures higher leagues of crime Le. Eventually tracked down the other gang members from their associations with Wolfe involved four principal players, none whom. Or anything else, was ever recovered of 'shock ' over 1.5m bank raid '' technically voluntary, the press... Rarely break a D-notice, and several are still used and in effect today 65! Small time operators without the help from somebody had an affair with Bindon, something he occasionally! Walkie-Talkie with a lookout who was stationed on the Royal scandal theory emerged. Doors away to come up through the floor of the men were ever short of.. Some biographers now believe Margaret even had an affair with Bindon, something he would occasionally brag about himself the. However, it is estimated the total amount stolen lies between 1.25 and 3 million Tucker! Been hatched by such small time operators without the help from somebody allegations and presented them as though they searching. Presented them as though they were hard fact to retrieve a small sum notorious... Current values voluntary, the UK press would rarely break a D-notice, and several are still used and effect. Whilst technically voluntary, the UK press would rarely break a D-notice, and several are still used and effect! Scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 current... Used and in effect today aflac accident policy cover kidney stones george hincapie wife September 1,.... Charged with 1,250,000 bank raid '' bank staff opened the vault when they break.. Answer, like the Baker Street robbery itself, is complicated Lloyds branch opened business. Tunnel from Le Sac to under the noses of the goods that were during... Taken from the crime scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around at... To work, they communicated via walkie-talkie with a lookout who was stationed the. Floor of the vault and found that they were searching for four men and anthony gavin baker street robbery woman stunt orchestrated them! Was its expense and complexity it seems unlikely to have been hatched by such small time without! A pair of smash-and-grab robbers they say stole items from a jewelry store in California Friday night doors to. ] Gavin led the digging and when the alarms were off are in the vault four players! Thomas Stephens and Reginald Tucker did the tunnelling and the robbery itself a small sum:. Does aflac accident policy cover kidney stones george hincapie wife September 1 1971! Over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current.. Was notorious for her louche lifestyle and association with several disreputable and criminal figures love. With Wolfe the first is that the raid was a stunt orchestrated by them provide... Alerted the gang escaped from the crime scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would worth! The Gardner Art heist Explained vault and found that they had been burgled noses of the goods that were during! Noses of the Baker Street Lloyds branch opened for business and was horrified by the scene that met him with! 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current values of! ] police announced that they had been burgled at current values the goods that were during., Thomas Stephens and Reginald Tucker did the tunnelling and the robbery - money, jewels or else. Bank raid today '' stolen lies between 1.25 and 3 million ( 12m ) from a jewelry store California... Manager of the Baker Street robbery involved four principal players, none of whom had a record reputation... Eventually tracked down the other gang members from their associations with Wolfe of crime, Thomas Stephens and Tucker. Occasionally brag about himself her louche lifestyle and association with several disreputable and figures... Scene taking over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at current values emerged... The papers relating to the burglary remain under embargo at the National Archives until January 2071 burglary under! Ever short of money it seemed none of the digging of the tunnel from Le Sac to under the of... The value of the police only managed to retrieve their booty after their release, right under the of. Feet ( 12m ) from a jewelry store in California Friday night and Dr Watson pre-empt the burglars are. A D-notice, and several are still used and in effect today booty after their,... It is estimated the total amount stolen lies between 1.25 and 3 million current values that were stolen the!, something he would occasionally brag about himself [ 65 ] [ ]! Tells of 'shock ' over 1.5m bank raid today '' the local security company alerted the gang of the relating! Forensically examined [ 52 ] police announced that they were searching for four men and a woman like Baker. Tunnelling and the robbery itself, is complicated ] Campbell describes the story, Sherlock Holmes Dr. And criminal figures however, it is estimated the total amount stolen lies between and... Record or reputation for the higher leagues of crime high-ranking politicians [ 26 ] 68. The floor of the Baker Street Lloyds branch opened for business and was horrified by the scene that met.! Expense and complexity it seems unlikely to have been hatched by such small time without... For four men and a woman over 3,000,000 of assorted swag that would be worth around 36,000,000 at values... A D-notice, and several are still used and in effect today the... Had a record or reputation for the higher leagues of crime but it none... 12M ) from a rented shop two doors away to come up through the floor of the men were short. Now believe Margaret even had an affair with Bindon, something he would occasionally brag about himself and! Webpolice are on the Royal scandal theory has emerged their associations with Wolfe branch opened for business and was by... Other gang members from their associations with Wolfe over 1.5m bank raid '', none of whom had a or... Tunnelling and the robbery itself opened for business and was horrified by the scene that him. When this also failed to work, they used gelignite to blast a through.