Hatton Garden Jewellery Raid Firm To Shut Down

The safe deposit box company that was burgled in Hatton Garden over the Easter weekend has gone into liquidation, it has emerged.

Hatton Garden Safe Deposit issued a statement saying it had gone into creditors' voluntary liquidation on 24 August after trade slumped in the wake of the theft.

The winding up of the firm will be led by accountancy firm SPW's Stella Davis and Harold Sorsky.

The raid was carried out over the Easter weekend when thieves broke into the vault at the company in the heart of London's jewellery area.

They used a drill to bore a hole 20in (51cm) deep, 10in (25cm) high and 18in (46cm) into the vault wall.

Police believe they were able to get into the building - in which a number of businesses are based - through a communal entrance before putting a lift out of action so they could climb down the shaft to the basement.

Once inside, the thieves ransacked 73 safety deposit boxes, and stole property believed to be worth millions of pounds.

The Met police later apologised for its lack of action when it failed to follow up a phone call from a security firm after an alarm went off at the building at midnight on Good Friday.

Thirteen defendants are set to appear at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday charged in connection with the raid.

Brenn Walters, also known as Ben Perkins, 43, and Laura Perkins, 40, both of Manor Court, and Terri Robinson, 35, and Steven Robinson, 46, both of Sterling Road, all of Enfield, are charged with conspiracy to conceal, disguise, convert or transfer criminal property.

Nine other men will also stand trial accused of plotting the burglary.

It is alleged they conspired together to enter Hatton Garden Safe Deposit with the intent to steal.

Terry Perkins, 67, of Heene Road, Daniel Jones, 58, of Park Avenue, and Hugh Doyle, 48, of Riverside Gardens, all of Enfield; William Lincoln, 60, of Bethnal Green, east London; and John Collins, 74, of Blestoe Walk, Islington, north London, are all charged with conspiracy to burgle between 1 April and 7 April this year.

Brian Reader, 76, and Paul Reader, 50, both of Dartford Road, Dartford, Kent; Carl Wood, 58, of Elderbeck Close, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire; and taxi driver John Harbinson, 42, from Benfleet in Essex, face the same charge.