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The Brinks Mat Robbery occurred on 26 November 1983 when six robbers^[1] broke into the Brinks Mat warehouse at Heathrow Airport, England. The robbers thought they were going to steal £3 million in cash;^[2] however, when they arrived, they found three tonnes of gold bullion (worth £26 million).^[3] The gang got into the warehouse thanks to security guard Anthony Black, the brother-in-law of Brian Robinson who conceived the raid. Scotland Yard quickly discovered the family connection and Black confessed to aiding and abetting the raiders, providing them with a key to the main door, and giving them details of security measures. Tried at the Old Bailey, Robinson and gang leader Michael McAvoy were each sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for armed robbery.^[3] Black got six years.^[4]

Prior to his conviction, McAvoy had entrusted part of his share to an associate Brian Perry. Perry recruited Kenneth Noye, who was an expert in his field,^[1] to dispose of the gold. Noye melted down the bullion and recast it for sale. However, the sudden movements of large amounts of money through a Bristol bank came to the notice of the Treasury who informed the police. Noye was placed under police surveillance and in January 1985 killed a police officer he discovered in his garden. At the resulting trial, the jury found him not guilty on the grounds of self-defence. In 1986 Noye was found guilty of conspiracy to handle the Brinks Mat gold, fined £700,000 and sentenced to 14 years in prison, although he only served 7 years before being released in 1994.^[5]

However, in 1996 Noye murdered motorist Stephen Cameron during what was inaccurately portrayed by the media at the time as a road rage incident (in fact, Cameron was a small-time drug dealer who owed Noye money)^[6] and fled the country. The police tracked Noye, and in 1998 he was arrested and then deported back to Britain, tried and convicted in 2000. He received a life sentence.^[7]

Most of the three tonnes of stolen gold has never been recovered and the other four robbers were never convicted. According to the BBC, some have claimed that anyone wearing gold jewellery bought in the UK after 1983 is probably wearing Brinks Mat.^[1]

Media

In 1992 a movie called Fools Gold based on the robbery was released with McAvoy portrayed by Sean Bean. ^[8] A documentary was broadcast on Channel 4 in November 2003 on the events of the raid.^[9]

References