Hatton Garden heist: Jewel thieves opened 70 safety deposit boxes as former police chief estimates up to £200m could have been taken
Police officers have said the jewel thieves who carried out a huge heist in Hatton Garden over the Easter weekend opened up to 70 safety deposit boxes during the burglary.
Investigators believe that heavy cutting equipment was used to get into a vault at the Hatton Garden Safety Deposit Ltd, with “a number of safety deposit boxes” broken into on the site.
The burglary, which was discovered yesterday as businesses went back to work after the long weekend, is being investigated by organised crime specialist division The Flying Squad.
Detectives have been on the scene since Tuesday morning and are carrying out a forensic examination of the scene at Hatton Garden.
“This is a slow and painstaking process involving forensic examination, photographing the scene and recovering exhibits in meticulous detail in order to preserve the evidence. Officers anticipate this process to take approximately two days,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
Police will be contacting victims directly as and when they are identified.
The former head of The Flying Squad Roy Ramm told the BBC this morning that the valuables stolen could be worth as much as £200m.
He added: “There's a sort of old-fashioned audacity about it.”
Anyone with information has been urged to call The Flying Squad on 020 8785 8655 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.