Hatton Garden raid: Nine remain in custody

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Brian Reader senior and his son Brian Reader, also known as PaulImage source, UPPA/PHOTOSHOT
Image caption,

Brian Reader and his son of the same name, pictured in 1986, are thought to have been arrested

Police are continuing to question nine men arrested in connection with the Hatton Garden safe deposit raid.

The group, aged between 43 and 76, were detained on Tuesday after raids were carried out on 12 properties in the London and Kent areas.

It is thought Brian Reader, his son and Hugh Doyle are three of those arrested.

The contents of 56 safe deposit boxes were taken during the raid in London's jewellery district over the Easter weekend.

Hugh DoyleImage source, Facebook
Image caption,

It is believed 48-year-old Hugh Doyle was arrested at a property in Enfield, north London

All nine suspects, described as white British men, have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle.

Four, aged between 48 and 74, were arrested in Enfield, north London - the 48-year-old is believed to be Mr Doyle.

A 59-year-old was detained in north London while Mr Reader was held alongside a 50-year-old in Dartford, Kent, who is believed to be his son, also called Brian, but who is sometimes known as Paul.

Police in forensics overalls have been seen searching a house and garden in Dartford and locals said they saw a man being led from the house in handcuffs on Tuesday.

Delivery driver Jon Donadio, 37, said: "I saw them bring him out in handcuffs. He came quietly. They tried to make it look low-profile by draping something over the handcuffs."

Hatton Garden drill holeImage source, Met Police
Image caption,

Thieves used heavy cutting equipment to break into the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd vault

He said a "massive" crane had been seen at the back of the large property a month ago.

The two remaining men were also arrested in north London.

Officers have continued to search a number of addresses in connection with the arrests.

Det Supt Craig Turner, head of the Met Police Flying Squad, appealed for information about a white Ford Transit van seen at the time of the raid.

He said the vehicle, registration DU53 VNG, had been captured on CCTV near Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd on 2 April.

The footage had been in police hands for "quite a period of time", Det Supt Turner said, but it had not been released for operational reasons.

White Transit vanImage source, Met Police
Image caption,

A Transit van with the registration DU53 VNG was caught on CCTV at the time of the raid

The Flying Squad also apologised after confirming alarm response procedures had not been followed, but rejected the suggestion they were bungling "Keystone Kops".

There has been no official detail of what was stolen but it is believed jewellery worth up to £200m was taken during the raid.

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Jewellery heist infographic
  1. Thieves break into lift shaft, disable the lift, and abseil or climb down to basement

  2. They use tools, including an angle grinder and crowbars, to force through shutter doors

  3. Using a powerful drill, they then cut through the 50cm (20in) reinforced concrete wall to vault

  4. After seizing jewellery and other valuables from 72 safe deposit boxes, they escape in a waiting van

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