Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Mastermind behind one of Britain's biggest ever heists was caught on police bug boasting he could 'buy a Lambo'

  • Security guards staged fake robbery on their van so £7million could be taken
  • Ringleader of the gang was later caught on police bug boasting of his wealth
  • He now faces jail along with his wife and the two 'inside men' Loomis guards
Hussain Rafaqat boasted he could 'buy a Lambo' after his gang stole £7million from a security van near Heathrow Airport
Hussain Rafaqat boasted he could 'buy a Lambo' after his gang stole £7million from a security van near Heathrow Airport
The mastermind of one of Britain's biggest ever heists was caught on a police bug boasting to his brother that he could 'buy a Lambo'.
Thieves stole £7million when they staged a fake raid on a cash-in-transit van near Heathrow Airport in a plot described in court as worthy of a Hollywood movie. 
A recording device caught plotter Rafaqat Hussain bragging: 'Mate it was the job. I f***ing robbed seven million,' just over a month after the theft.
The bug was placed in his car after police arrested Loomis van drivers Mohammed Siddique, 32, and Ranjeev Singh, 40, in March.
Sandip Patel QC, prosecuting, said: 'The police obtained authority to place a recording device in his Audi.
'On 22 April Hussain flew back from Pakistan and was collected by his brother. They then travelled home. They did not know they were being recorded.
'While travelling back Hussein spoke to his brother about the Loomis theft. He said "mate. It was the job. I f***ing robbed seven million."
A police reconstruction shows just how much space the £7million would have taken up
A police reconstruction shows just how much space the £7million would have taken up
The prosecutor added: 'He said his share was going to be two million and two others had been arrested [Siddique and Singh].
'He boasted that he could buy any car he wanted, he could buy a "lambo".
'He said he wanted to lie low, he said "I want to chill for six months, buy houses and do them up, flip them and make some money".

Nearly a million pounds was transferred into a Pakistan bank account  in the name of Hussain's wife, Razavana Zeib
Nearly a million pounds was transferred into a Pakistan bank account in the name of Hussain's wife, Razavana Zeib
Bespectacled Hussain wept in the dock today as his barrister Bairaj Bhatia said he had 'failed his family' by carrying out a crime that 'reminiscent of the script from the Thomas Crown Affair'.

Prosecutors said £900,000 was transferred into a Pakistan bank account opened in the name of Hussain's wife, Razavana Zeib, prompting her arrest.

Hussain arranged to buy a house in Heathersett, Norfolk with the stolen money, the court heard.

After the £7m raid he arranged for an old criminal acquaintance Gary Carrod, 33, to burgle the elderly owner's home in a bid to lower the price.

He smashed the windows and caused it to flood, leaving the pensioner 'very distressed', the court heard.

Hussain has an extensive criminal history with 64 offences stretching back to 1992.

His most audacious prior offence was a motor scam in which he stole cars while taking them out for test drives.

Hussain, Siddique, Singh and Carrod will be sentenced by Judge Stephen John later today at Kingston Crown Court.

Security guards Mohammed Siddique (pictured) and Ranjeev Singh were the 'inside men' who staged a robbery so the money could be spirited away. It has never been recoveredSecurity guards Mohammed Siddique and Ranjeev Singh (pictured) were the 'inside men' who staged a robbery so the money could be spirited away. It has never been recovered
Security guards Mohammed Siddique (left) and Ranjeev Singh (right) were the 'inside men' who staged a robbery so the money could be spirited away. It has never been recovered

Hussain's wife, Razvana Zeib, 34, will be sentenced at a later date after the judge ordered a pre-sentence report after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle and commit money laundering.

Siddique and Singh, both of Slough, were convicted of conspiracy to steal.
Carrod, of Taplow, admitted conspiracy to burgle at Kingston Crown Court on Monday, 11 September.

Hussain, of Slough, admitted conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Razvana Zeib, of Slough, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The hearing continues.

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