Heathrow £7m heist mastermind is jailed

The mastermind of a £7 million heist of the British Airways cargo depot at Heathrow airport had friends burgle a £1 million home to drive down the price so he could buy it, a court was told.

Rafaqat Hussain, 41, arranged to buy a house in Stoke Poges, Bucks, with the stolen cash. But Kingston Crown Court heard he asked Gary Carrod, 33, to burgle the home to lower the price.

Hussain pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to burgle and to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 10 years and three months in jail. Carrod was given three years for burglary. None of the stolen £7million has been recovered.