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Worst crimes: From Brinks-Mat to Belfast

14:23, 10 July 2006

November 1983, Heathrow Airport

Armed men posing as security guards entered the Brinks-Mat security vault at Heathrow Airport. The six-man gang doused a guard with petrol and threatened to set him alight unless he opened a vault. They escaped with £26 million in gold bullion and diamonds. Kenny Noye, from West Kingsdown, near Wrotham, was jailed for 14 years for his part. Most of the gold is still missing.

July 2000, Attempted ram-raid, Aylesford

Armed robbers attempted to steal £8 million from a Securicor van in Beddow Way, Aylesford, using a reinforced vehicle armed with a spike. The gang rammed the van, intending to hold it up with a shotgun and pistols. But two tactical support officers scared them off.

November 2000, Millennium Dome, Greenwich

Thieves attempted to rob the Millennium Dome of £200 million of diamonds but police were waiting for them. The diamonds were replaced with dummy crystals. The gang crashed a bulldozer into the dome, set off smoke bombs and tried to get the diamonds using sledgehammers and a nail gun as police pounced. A year later six men went on trial at the Old Bailey.

February 2002, Heathrow Airport

More than £4.50 million in foreign currency was stolen from a British Airways security van at Heathrow. The cash had arrived on a flight from Bahrain.

March 2002 , Heathrow Airport

Robbers hijacked a security van and fled with £3 million in cash, which had been flown in on a South African Airways flight. Police later recovered the money and arrested 12 people.

May 2004, Heathrow airport

A ram raid gang attempted to steal £33 million of gold, cash and gems from the Swissport Cargo Warehouse at Heathrow Airport. More than 100 armed police swooped after having the raiders under surveillance for weeks. The eight robbers were jailed for up to 13 years.

December 2004, Northern Bank, Belfast

More than £26 million was stolen from the headquarters of the Northern Bank in Belfast. Three men were later charged with the robbery. Most of the money is yet to be recovered. It was the largest amount of cash taken in a robbery in the UK - until the Tonbridge raid.

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