When was the Brink’s-Mat robbery and did they get away with it?
THE Brink's-Mat robbery is one of the most notorious heists in British history.
Here, we look at when it was and who took part in the robbery.
When was the Brink's-Mat robbery?
The Brink's-Mat robbery took place on November 26, 1983.
The raid of gold bullion, diamonds, and cash stolen from a warehouse in Heathrow, was one of the biggest in British history.
Their £26million haul is worth more than £100million in today’s currency (2023).
Who took part in the Brink's-Mat robbery?
The robbery was led by Micky McAvoy and Brian Robinson.
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McAvoy was nicknamed "The Nutter" and was known to be one of the country's most prolific and violent armed robbers.
He was 30, and the youngest of the people involved in the heist.
Robinson, nicknamed "The Colonel", was a 40-year-old career criminal who had served several prison sentences and was on a Flying Squad list of London’s 20 most prolific armed robbers.
Tony White was a childhood friend of Robinson, and had just finished a 12 year sentence for another heist.
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Brian Perry was a South London minicab boss who was tasked with disposing of the gold after the robbery.
He recruited Kenneth Noye to distribute the gold, and Gordon Parry was tasked with laundering the profits.
Security guard Anthony Black was in on the robbery and let the gang into the warehouse.
Where are the robbers now?
McAvoy was jailed for his part in the heist, and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 1984.
He served 16 years before being released in 2000.
He died in 2023 after a long battle with cancer, and was said to not have seen any of the profits from the heist.
Similarly, Robinson was jailed at the Old Bailey in 1984 and released in 2000.
He died in 2021 at a nursing home in South East London, and was reportedly penniless.
White was cleared of armed robbery in 1984 at the Old Bailey.
Noye served eight years for handling the bullion and later copped a life term for a 1996 road rage attack.
He was released on parole in 2019.
Perry was jailed for nine years for handling stolen property in 1992.
After being released, he was shot dead by a masked assailant outside his minicab firm in 2001.
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Parry was jailed for 10 years for handling stolen property, but his current whereabouts are unknown.
Inside man Black was given six years.
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