Stolen for thrills
The inside story of why the famous Jules Rimet Trophy was robbed... then dumped!
The story of how the World Cup was stolen during the spring of 1966, then discovered a week later by a dog called Pickles, is known to millions of football fans.
Yet for over 50 years, authorities had no idea who stole the famous Jules Rimet Trophy while it was on display at a stamp exhibition in the months before the tournament, which was won by England.
But in 2018, the Daily Mirror newspaper revealed who the thieves were. This new documentary tells the full story, with interviews with many of those involved, including one of the security guards, John
Mcclarens, and Pickles’ owner, David Corbett.
Although police apprehended a middleman, Edward Betchley, the actual thief was never caught. But, following an investigation by Daily Mirror journalist Tom Pettifor, the truth was revealed.
Mystery solved
‘A few years ago, a source of mine told me a man called “Sidney Coo” had taken the World Cup,’ explains Tom. ‘After months of searching, I realised he was talking about Sidney Cugullere, who’d pinched it with the help of his brother, Reg.’
Sidney and Reg had been planning to steal some valuable penny black stamps when they stumbled across the trophy. After discovering it wasn’t made of gold, they hurled it in a bush for Pickles to find.
‘My uncle didn’t nick it for financial gain, but just for the thrill of it,’ says Sidney’s nephew, Gary Cugullere. ‘He always joked he was the first Englishman to lift the World Cup.’