'Dad's Army' suspects in dock

Police forensics officer enter the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit company in London. Photo / AP

Police taking no chances as pensioner jewellery heist accused face charges.

With a combined age of 490, the men accused of the Hatton Garden jewellery heist shuffled rather than swaggered into court yesterday as it was revealed that the value of the items stolen in the raid is more than 10 million ($21.24 million).

The eight men, who were dubbed Dad's Army after it emerged that three of their number were pensioners, appeared at Westminster magistrates' court to face charges that they helped orchestrate one of the most audacious thefts of recent years.

But despite their advancing years, Scotland Yard was taking no chances, throwing an armed ring of steel around the court as the group was ferried to the short hearing. Travelling in convoy, the men were transported two per van with gun-toting officers at their side throughout the journey.

A helicopter scanned the convoy's route through central London, while armed officers also stood guard at the entrance to the court.

A two-hour delay meant the hearing did not get going until shortly after noon when the group was brought up from the holding cells and filed into the glass-panelled dock of court one.

In the dock were Terry Perkins, 67, a former property developer from Enfield, north London; Hugh Doyle, 48, a plumber also from Enfield; Brian Reader, 76, and his son, Paul, 50, second-hand car dealers from Dartford in Kent; John Collins, 74, from Islington, north London; Daniel Jones, 58, from Enfield; William Lincoln, 59, from Bethnal Green, east London, and Carl Wood, 58, from Cheshunt, Herts.

Three of the men wore prison-issue grey tracksuits and there was also plenty of grey on show in their hair.

As the clerk of the court began asking the men to confirm their names and give their dates of birth and addresses, Collins ran into a problem.

Hard of hearing, the pensioner asked her several times to repeat the question before turning to his co-accused, Reader, for assistance, asking him "what is she saying?"

After confirming who was who, the clerk then read the charge to the group, explaining: "Between April 1 and May 19 you conspired with each other to enter or trespass a building in Hatton Garden, namely the Hatton Safe Deposit Company, with intent to steal."

Addressing district judge Tan Ikram, Edmund Hal, prosecuting, said the case was a serious one that carried a substantial sentence and could therefore only be heard in the Crown Court.

He said: "This case is a notorious one which has been the subject of much media attention. Some 73 safe deposit boxes were opened. The full value has yet to be ascertained but it runs to in excess of 10 million."

There were no bail applications and all eight were remanded in custody until June 4, when they are due to appear at Southwark Crown Court.

A ninth suspect, a 42-year-old man from Essex, was detained yesterday by officers from the Flying Squad.

How it happened

1 Gang of thieves breaks into offices above safe deposit firm before cutting through roof.

2 They abseil down the lift shaft to the basement.

3 The raiders disable security system and use heavy cutting equipment to break through wall and 45cm thick steel door.

4 Gang enters vault and empties up to 70 boxes over Easter weekend. Alarm goes off but security guard only checks main doors.