British police foil bid to steal €60 million in gold, cash

British police have foiled an attempt to steal gold and cash worth almost €60 million from a warehouse near London's Heathrow airport.

Eight men, driving in a white Transit van, rammed through the shutters of a warehouse on Bedfont Road, on the outskirts of Heathrow, Scotland Yard said.

They jumped out of the van and threatened staff at the Swiss Port Cargo warehouse with at least one gun, knives and other weapons including cudgels.

The men were believed to have been trying to steal £40 million (€58 million) worth of cash and precious metals - reported to include gold.

But officers from the Flying Squad and the Metropolitan Police's armed response team stopped the raid and arrested six men. Armed officers, who were lying in wait for the would-be raiders, disabled the van using Hatton rounds - bullets designed to deflate tyres with minimum damage. More than 100 police officers were involved.

A Scotland Yard spokesman added: "A further two suspects hijacked a white van and forced the driver who was inside to drive them out of the entrance in the direction of Stanwell."The driver of the van, which was recovered shortly afterwards, was not injured."

Scotland Yard IS investigating reports that the two suspects were still on the run.

Det Supt Barry Phillips said: "In preventing this attack, we have foiled what would have been one of the biggest robberies ever committed in the UK. We believe that these men were part of an organised criminal enterprise.

None of the warehouse staff were injured in the operation but one police officer was slightly hurt.

Those arrested - aged in their early to late thirties - have been taken to West London police stations for questioning.

PA