New images show three suspects entering the Hatton Garden building where a massive jewelry heist took place
Scotland Yard released Saturday CCTV images from a robbery in Hatton Garden in which an estimated £200 million ($293 million) in diamonds, jewels, and cash were stolen from safety deposit boxes.
The heist took place over the Easter bank holiday, when businesses in London's jewellery district were closed. The stills show three suspects and a van used by them over the weekend. One of the alleged burglars is dressed as a construction worker.
The suspects used a side door on Greville street to enter Hatton Garden Safety Deposit Limited (HGSD) at least twice over the holiday weekend, police said in a statement.
The building in which the robbery took place is made up of several business. The safety deposit company is located in the basement of the building.
The suspects first entered the building on Thursday, April 2, and left Friday morning. They came back on Saturday night and did not leave until the following morning, according to Paul Johnson, who is in charge of the investigation. There was no sign of forced entry into the building, police said.
After disabling the communal lift, the thieves gained access to the basement by climbing down the lift shaft. They used a £3,500 ($5,100) heavy-duty drill to bore holes into a two-metre-thick vault wall made of reinforced concrete and break into 72 safety deposit boxes. There are a total of 999 security boxes in the vault.
The contents of the boxes were taken out of the building in wheelie bins and bags, according to the BBC, noting that The Mirror quoted a source who said the heist was the work of professional gang who "planned this job down to every last detail."
Scotland Yard says it was first alerted of the heist on Tuesday, April 7. The department has so far been able to reach 42 owners of the security boxes and is continuing to investigate the scene and collect CCTV footage.