Basil evaded arrest for years but was finally caught-red handed during the £14 million heist.
The Hatton Garden ringleader, dubbed ‘Basil’, has been jailed for 10 years after evading capture for years.Seed – who pays no taxes, claims no benefits and rarely uses a bank account – managed to stay on the run for three years before police raided his flat, in Islington, north London on 27 March last year.He is believed to have let himself into the building – around two miles away from his flat – in London’s diamond district, using a set of keys before tapping into the security system.
The thieves failed to drill into a safe containing £40 million worth of jewels but fled with £1 million worth of jewellery from the shop’s display cabinets.Officers caught Seed red-handed following the heist, where he made off with more than 1,000 items. The electronics expert told a jury at Woolwich Crown Court he was not the man nicknamed ‘Basil’ by the criminal group – which detectives believe have been operating undetected for decades before being caught.Detectives believe the group has been operated undetected for years After being convicted and sentenced on Friday, Judge Christopher Kinch QC told him: ‘Your role was a central one. You were at the heart of the core activities that had to be carried out.
Seed became the tenth person convicted in connection with the crime when he was found guilty of conspiracy to burgle the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit company, and conspiracy to handle the proceeds after £143,000 worth of gold ingots, gems and jewellery were found in his bedroom.He was cleared of conspiracy to burgle the high-end Chatila jewellery store in Bond Street over the late August bank holiday weekend in 2010 with members of the same gang.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Michael Seed: Hatton Garden burglar 'Basil' found guilty over £14m heistMichael Seed, 58, was the mystery raider who was arrested three years after the April 2015 burglary in London's diamond district.
Read more »
Hatton Garden ringleader 'Basil' found guilty over £14m heistMichael Seed convicted four years after disabling security system at safe deposit facility
Read more »
Final Hatton Garden raider convictedAlarm specialist Michael Seed had denied being the mysterious 'Basil' in the 2015 safe deposit raid.
Read more »
Hatton Garden ringleader sentenced four years after burglaryProsecutors allege alarm specialist posed as BT engineer to tamper with security system
Read more »
Hatton Garden: Michael Seed, the man known as 'Basil' is found guilty of role in £14 million raidMichael Seed - the man who became known as 'Basil' - has been convicted of his role in the Hatton Garden safe deposit raid.
Read more »
Michael Seed: Hatton Garden burglar 'Basil' found guilty over £14m heistMichael Seed, 58, was the mystery raider who was arrested three years after the April 2015 burglary in London's diamond district.
Read more »
Hatton Garden ringleader 'Basil' found guilty over £14m heistMichael Seed convicted four years after disabling security system at safe deposit facility
Read more »
Final Hatton Garden raider convictedAlarm specialist Michael Seed had denied being the mysterious 'Basil' in the 2015 safe deposit raid.
Read more »
Hatton Garden ringleader sentenced four years after burglaryProsecutors allege alarm specialist posed as BT engineer to tamper with security system
Read more »