THE BANK JOB

Just finished reading Heist by Howard Sounes. In February 2006, a bunch of villains stole 53 million quid from a cash warehouse in Tonbridge, Kent by kidnapping the boss and his family and threatening to kill them unless he helped them steal the money. They also had an inside man.

Kent police were on to them pretty quickly, but not quick enough to let Paul Allen and the ringleader, Lee Murray escape to Morocco. About half the money was found, but the rest is spread between Northern Cyprus, Dubai and somewhere in the Carribean.

The book deals with the actual robbery, the police investigation and the court case. Despite what was printed in the press at the time, the villains weren't criminal masterminds but local buffoons who were incredibly lucky to get away with it (one of the robbers, Lea Rusha, actually had plans to the depot in his house when police raided it). In the end, 'Lightning' Lee Murray was sentenced in Morocco for his part in the heist and Paul Allen pleaded guilty back in the UK.

It's a cracking read (although probably not the best police book you'll ever read) and although it goes into some depth doesn't get bogged down the the details. While most police work in the UK involves petty stuff, it's interesting to see how a major investigation works and the amount of resources that can be devoted to it.

I had a minor role taking statements in the Great Kestrel House Heist of 2006, in the absence of anyone else to deal.

One of the few things I miss are the few remaining traditions of UK policing, like the suit wearing CID, the arcane language ('stolen by means of keys???') and the decent blaggings. We don't get much of that round here, mainly I suspect because all the CIT (Cash in Transit) drivers are armed. Also it's not as if you can do one bank in Calgary, then drive over to say, Winnipeg, and do one the following day because it's just too far.