Two of the ringleaders of the Hatton Garden jewellery heist were involved in some of the biggest crimes of the last century, a court heard today.
The raid on a safe deposit centre in London's jewellery district was the largest burglary in English legal history and had been planned for a long time by men experienced in major criminal operations, Woolwich Crown Court heard.
The gang stole a "very substantial" quantity of gold, jewellery, precious stones, cash and other materials from a basement vault valued just short of £14m, the trial of four men heard.
Four ringleaders have already pleaded guilty to involvement in the operation, the court heard.
Those ringleaders - aged from 60 to 76 - brought in the four men on trial to help with the operation, said Philip Evans, opening the case for the prosecution.
One of the ringleaders, Brian Reader, 76, was the oldest member of the gang and was known as 'the governor' or 'the master', the court was told.
"These four ringleaders and organisers of this conspiracy, although senior in years, brought with them a great deal of experience in planning and executing sophisticated and serious acquisitive crime not dissimilar to this," said Mr Evans.
"This offence was to be the largest burglary in English legal history.
"Two of these men had also been involved in some of the biggest acquisitive crime in this country in the last century and the other two had for many years in their earlier lives been involved in serious theft."
Mr Evans said that with their experience the ringleaders would have only brought in people that could have been trusted to help them with the job.
The break-in was only partially successful on the first night on April 2 this year, and they returned to finish the job on April 4, the court heard.
The raiders broke into the vault and ransacked 73 safety deposit boxes mainly used by jewellers to store their goods. Calculations continue on the scale of the losses. The police have recovered about one third of it, the court heard.
Carl Wood, 58, of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire; William Lincoln, 60, of Bethnal Green, east London; and Jon Harbinson, 42, of Benfleet, Essex, are charged with conspiracy to commit burglary between May 17 2014 and 7.30am on April 5 this year.
Hugh Doyle, 48, of Enfield, north London, is jointly charged with them on one count of conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property between January 1 and May 19 this year.
He also faces an alternative charge of concealing, converting or transferring criminal property between April 1 and May 19 this year.
They all deny the charges at Woolwich Crown Court in south east London.
John Collins, 74, of Islington; Daniel Jones, 60, of Enfield; Terry Perkins, 67, of Enfield; and Brian Reader, 76, of Dartford, have all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary.
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