The Brinks Mat Robbery happened on 26th November 1983 when six men broke into the Brinks Mat warehouse close to Heathrow Airport,

The robbers thought they were going to steal £3 million in cash; but, when they arrived, they found ten tonnes of gold bullion worth an estimated £26 million.

The £26 million in gold wasn't just lying in a warehouse waiting to be stolen. It was locked in a safe, deep inside a secure airport building surrounded by guards. Having some insight into the layout of the building, the gang burst into the secure area, disabled the guards and tied them up. so that they could force the guards to reveal the combination to the safe, the thieves poured petrol over them and threatened them with lighted matches until the guards revealed the safe combination.

When the safe was finally opened, they looked in disbelief on a haul of gold bullion that was far beyond any previous heists they had ever been involved in. What should have been a five minute "smash 'n' grab" robbery, ended up becoming a lengthy operation. Several members of the gang left the airport to get more transport because the booty was too big and heavy for their getaway vehicle.

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 warehouse door, plus 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. Black got six years, and served three.

Before his conviction, McAvoy had given part of his share to a friend, Brian Perry. Perry recruited Kenneth Noye (who had links with a legitimate gold dealer in Bristol) 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 had to serve only 8 years before being released in 1994.

In 1996 Noye murdered motorist Stephen Cameron during a so-called "road rage" incident and fled the country. The police tracked Noye to Spain, and in 1998 he was arrested and then deported back to Britain, tried and convicted in 2000. He received a life sentence.

Three tonnes of stolen gold has never been recovered. It is claimed that anyone wearing gold jewellery bought in the UK after 1983 is probably wearing proceeds of the Brinks Mat robbery. (Cool)

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