Did £ 35m gems gang use a contortionist?
THE gang in the £ 35million Hatton Garden safe deposit raid may have used a contortionist to carry out the heist.
The gang drilled a hole into a vault’s walls just 10 inches high and 18 inches across, it emerged yesterday, leading to a theory that they copied a tactic from the movie Ocean’s Eleven.
A 5ft acrobat called the Amazing Yen – played by Shaobo Qin – has a key role in a raid in the 2001 film, starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
Pictures of the “chaotic” scene at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd were released yesterday by Scotland Yard.
Crucial
Detectives said crucial DNA fingerprints and other evidence have been recovered.
The gang broke into the vault in London’s jewellery district either on Thursday, April 2, or early Good Friday.
Using a diamond- tipped drill, they spent hours boring three holes in the concrete wall which were just big enough together for a tiny person or a contortionist to squeeze through.
The gang, dubbed the Diamond Geezers, opened 72 safety deposit boxes over the Easter weekend and escaped with diamonds, gold, cash and other valuables reckoned to be worth around £ 35million. Police will appeal for information tonight on BBC One’s Crimewatch programme.
Officers said they found 400 items, including power tools and crowbars, in the vault. They are still trying to contact six owners of opened boxes.
Det Supt Craig Turner, head of the Flying Squad, said police had now completed their vital forensic work. He said: “We appreciate this situation has been frustrating for those affected by this crime and thank those individuals for their patience.
“Those safety deposit boxes not opened by the thieves during the burglary have been left secured.” At least one of the gang is thought to have hidden in the building and let others in. No one has been arrested. CCTV captured the gang leaving around 8am on Easter Saturday. They returned around 10pm and emerged 6.30am on Easter Sunday.
An investigation is continuing into why police ignored an intruder alarm on Good Friday.