After a three-week-long trial at Kingston Crown Court, two former security guards have been found guilty of a conspiracy to steal £7 million.
Mohammed Naheen Siddique, 32 of Belgrave Road, Slough, and Ranjeev Singh, 40 of Grampian Way, Slough, staged a robbery in an attempt to steal 19 bags of cash that were due to be transported to the Bank of Ireland.
The pair were caught as the result of an investigation by the Met’s Flying Squad.
Siddique and Singh, who both worked for the cash handling company Loomis, were working together on the same shift on Tuesday, 14th March and had been tasked with picking up £7 million in cash from the British Airways cargo depot at Heathrow Airport, the court heard.
Analysis of CCTV footage revealed that, the Loomis van pulled over outside the security gates to allow Singh to use the toilet, shortly after the money was picked up at 08:30hrs.
This stop was unauthorized and against all Loomis protocols and instructions, which stated that if an operative needed such a stop then he/she should call into the control centre so that closer monitoring of the van could occur.
Siddique drove off, while Singh was in the toilet, and then parked it a short distance away in West View, Feltham.
Singh took 20 minutes to raise the alarm with the company and, when asked whether he had tried to contact Siddique, he said he did not have his phone.
The delay in alerting the Loomis control centre enabled Siddique to unload the bags of cash into a white Transit van parked in West View, assisted by another man.
Siddique’s hands and ankles were bound with cable ties and he was left on a service road near the M40 in Buckinghamshire, in an attempt to create the impression of a robbery. He was later found by a member of the public at 11.15hrs.
Singh and Siddique were arrested by Flying Squad detectives after suspicions were raised by Singh’s inexplicable delay in raising the alarm and Siddique’s inconsistent account of what had happened.
Siddique claimed the theft had been organised by a man who had threatened to burn his house down, during an interview in which he was being treated as a witness.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Bedford, of the Met’s Flying Squad, said, “Although this was an organised theft involving months of planning, it would not have been possible without the calculating and devious actions of Singh and Siddique who abused their positions to subvert the secure processes put in place to prevent this type of offence.
“The pair attempted to present themselves as victims of a robbery even going so far as arranging for Siddique to be tied up and left by a motorway to be found by innocent members of the public.
“However, a swift and thorough investigation by the Flying Squad uncovered their lies, led to their accomplices being identified and ensured their successful conviction at court.
“Both men are now likely to receive substantial custodial sentences reflecting their calculated abuse of their employer’s trust and the value of the monies stolen.”
