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This was the heist that had nearly everything.

Two of the robbers fooled a makeup artist into disguising them by saying they were going to appear in a pop video. Then they strolled into a top jewellery store in London, pulled out their guns and snatched $40M in jewels. Taking a hostage with them they raced outside and jumped into a blue BMW. They released the hostage but then their car crashed into a cab. A man having a drink in a pub raced after them, thinking this was just a hit and run.

Did he get a surprise as they fired at him, then climbed into a Mercedes, stopping only to pass the loot to a man on a motorbike. Meanwhile a seven ton truck had pulled across the road, blocking the chasing police.

Then disaster struck. The motorbike, a gold painted Japanese model, stalled in nearby Berkeley Square, one of the capital’s top property areas. The robber abandoned the bike and ran off into Green Park, a leafy area popular with Londoners who like to stroll and enjoy a lunchtime sandwich there. The bag man escaped on foot with the loot and the Mercedes disappeared.

Big reward offered

Despite the fact that around 200 CCTV cameras are in the area police never did find the bag man, or the jewels. They later arrested two men in connection with the robbery, following leads from a mobile phone the men had left behind in the BMW. Police asked the public to help with their enquiries and a reward of $500,000 was posted.

The chase quickly developed into a running joke as helpful members of the public pointed out to the police that a certain family, who live in a very big house near Green Park, had recently been complaining about money problems. They also mentioned a single, unemployed man who lives close by and has two sons who are very familiar with guns.

Possible Royal Connection?

The family referred to is, of course, the British Royal family who live a short distance from Green Park, in Buckingham Palace. It so happens that they have recently been pointing out the difficulties of maintaining their many houses and servants on the grants they receive from the British tax payer, although their worries are likely to be ignored in the present economic climate. The single, unemployed man is believed to be a reference to heir to the throne, Prince Charles who is constantly urged by some citizens to go out and get a proper job. His two sons are in the military and well trained in the use of firepower. Naturally these sort of comments are frowned on by the British establishment, which makes them all the more amusing for everyone else.

Two men have been convicted for the robbery but they are thought to be the foot soldiers of the operation. The organisers behind it are still at large, possibly living comfortably on the proceeds and making more plans.

These will include research of the motorbike market to find a more reliable model.