Police foil 40 million pound heist

LONDON – Police said they foiled a multi-million-pound robbery yesterday just outside London’s main Heathrow airport, arresting six of the eight culprits.

The eight had attempted to steal around 40 million pounds (59 million euros, 70 million dollars) in cash and precious metal from a warehouse, a police statement said. Police officers were lying in wait as the would-be robbers rammed their way into the warehouse in a white van and threatened staff with “at least one firearm and other weapons including knives and cudgels”.Six people, all in their early 30s, were arrested but two others escaped by hijacking a nearby vehicle.Some 100 police officers took part in the operation near Heathrow’s Terminal Four and the main airport cargo terminals.No gunfire was exchanged, though police used special rounds to shoot out the tires of the van.”In preventing this attack, we have foiled what would have been one the biggest robberies ever committed in the United Kingdom,” said deputy police superintendent Barry Phillips.”We believe that these men were part of an organised criminal enterprise,” he said, adding that the attempted robbery had required a lot of planning and preparation.- Nampa-AFPPolice officers were lying in wait as the would-be robbers rammed their way into the warehouse in a white van and threatened staff with “at least one firearm and other weapons including knives and cudgels”.Six people, all in their early 30s, were arrested but two others escaped by hijacking a nearby vehicle.Some 100 police officers took part in the operation near Heathrow’s Terminal Four and the main airport cargo terminals.No gunfire was exchanged, though police used special rounds to shoot out the tires of the van.”In preventing this attack, we have foiled what would have been one the biggest robberies ever committed in the United Kingdom,” said deputy police superintendent Barry Phillips.”We believe that these men were part of an organised criminal enterprise,” he said, adding that the attempted robbery had required a lot of planning and preparation.- Nampa-AFP