
Search: Britain's biggest robberies
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The theft of £40million worth of jewellery from one of London's smartest stores, Graff's of Bond Street, is one of the most valuable hauls ever made by a gang of robbers in Great Britain.
The two men caught on CCTV carrying out the robbery were armed and fired warning shots into the ground to deter civilians attempting to pursue them as they fled.
Anyone with information regarding the incident has been asked to call the Barnes Flying Squad on 020 8247 4804, or for those who wish to remain anonymous please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Britain has experienced some spectacularly valuable robberies over the years. Here are some of the biggest:
Securitas, Tonbridge, 2006
On February 22, 2006, a gang posed as police and kidnapped the Securitas cash deposit manager at a cash safety depot in Tonbridge. The gang threatened to kill both the manager and his family.
They escaped with £53million. The four violent robbers were later captured and received sentences of 15 years to life.
Northern Bank, Belfast, 20th December 2004
In December 2004, £26.4million in cash was taken from the vaults of a branch of the Northern Bank in Belfast in 2004.
Three men were charged and sent down. It was believed the IRA were involved in the planning and execution of the crime.
Midland Bank Clearing Centre, Salford, 3 July 1995
In what at the time was the UK's biggest cash robbery since the Great Train Robbery, an armed gang ambushed a Securicor van in Salford, Manchester. They forced the driver of the van to hand over his vehicle, which contained £6.6million in used notes.
The cash has never been recovered
Knightsbridge, London, July 1987
An inside job helped criminals steal more than £10million worth of jewellery, cash and other items from 120 safety deposit boxes from a warehouse opposite Harrods in Knightsbridge.
An italian, Valerio Viccei, received a 22-year jail sentence for being the mastermind behind the robbery.
Security Express, Shoreditch, 1983
In April 1983, almost £6million was taken from a Security Express Depot in Shoreditch East London.
Famously, the actress Barbara WIndsor's ex, Ronnie Knight, fled to Spain after being pursued by police for his part in the crime. He was later jailed in 1993 for handling stolen money. His brother John was sent down for 22 years for being behind the theft.
Brinks-Mat, Heathrow Airport, 1983
In November 1983 UK an armed gang of six broke into the Brinks-Mat security vault at Heathrow ariport by posing as security guards.
They took £26million in gold bullion and while a number of men received hefty jail sentences for the crime, the majority of the gold has never been recovered.
One of the robbery's masterminds, Kenneth Noye, spent ten years in jail for his part. He was later put away for life after committing murder in an infamous 'road rage' killing on release, only after being chased to the Spanish Costas where he was arrested.
The Great Train Robbery, 1963
A London gang hijacked a mail train travelling through Buckinghamshire and stole £2.6million on August 8th, 1963. The gang included Ronald Biggs, who famously later escaped custoday and fled to Brazil.






