Security guards ‘had role in £7m heist at airport’
A SECURITY van guard went to spend a penny... and set up a £7million robbery.
His planned “loo break” was part of a movie-style plot to stage one of Britain’s biggest cash thefts, a court heard yesterday.
Ranjeev Singh deliberately lingered outside the lavatory while his fellow guard Mohammad Siddique drove off with the money.
Siddique then loaded 28 money bags into a waiting getaway vehicle before being trussed up by co-conspirators and dumped by a secluded roadside.
Meanwhile Singh smoked a cigarette as he “nonchalantly” waited for 20 minutes before alerting colleagues that Siddique and the cash had vanished, a jury was told.
Siddique was found nearly three hours later close to Heathrow Airport trussed up with cable ties and mumbling: “Help me, help me.”
Forced
But he and Singh had been in on the theft all along, Kingston Crown Court heard.
The cash, weighing nearly ton, has not been recovered.
Sandip Patel, prosecuting, described the story of the theft as being worthy of a movie.
“They would call it the Heathrow Heist if anyone wanted to write a script about it,” he said.
“It is one of the biggest in British criminal history.
“There have been bigger but £7million is a significant amount.
“It was also an inside job, to use the colloquialism, and we say it had to be an inside job by these two defendants. They acted out their parts to the scripts they had already agreed.”
Mr Patel added: “What happened half a to the money, the £7million? It vanished. Somewhere, it was hidden away. Police so far have not been able to find it.”
The heist happened in March, the day after bank Credit Suisse flew the cash into Heathrow, destined for the Bank of Ireland.
Singh, 40, and Siddique, 31, both worked for the security firm Loomis, jurors were told.
On the day of the alleged theft, Singh drove his friend to the company’s depot in Shepperton, Surrey. They picked up the £7million from a secure warehouse near Heathrow.
Singh left the vehicle pretending he had to go to the loo, the court heard, then Siddique drove off alone.
Singh then waited for 20 minutes before telling the crew of another Loomis van that his vehicle and cargo had gone, it was alleged.
The delay was crucial, the jury was told. Mr Patel said: “All this was part of the plan. He had to do that so Siddique had time for the money to be transferred.”
All Loomis vans are tracked by the firm and employees are not allowed to be on their own in the vehicle.
If they are, their partner should alert the central command which can immobilise the van remotely.
When Flying Squad detectives questioned Siddique he admitted his story was a sham. But Mr Patel said: “This defendant says he was forced to do it. He had to go along because he had been threatened and his family had been threatened.”
Rafaqat Hussain, 41, described as one of the organisers, has pleaded guilty to his part in the heist.
But Singh and Siddique, both of Slough, Berks, deny one count of conspiracy to steal. Their trial continues.