Mastermind of Hatton Garden Heist, Brian Reader, Dies at 84 with Millions in Loot Still Missing

Mastermind of Hatton Garden Heist, Brian Reader, Dies at 84 with Millions in Loot Still Missing

Brian Reader, the notorious mastermind behind the Hatton Garden heist and other high-profile robberies in Britain, has passed away at the age of 84. He died in September 2023 at his home in Dartford, Kent, following a battle with colon and prostate cancer. Despite efforts by relatives and associates to keep his death private, a recently discovered death certificate confirms his passing.

Reader, whose profession was listed as a retired gardener, amassed a fortune of over £200 million from his criminal exploits, including the infamous Brink’s-Mat robbery in 1983. Beginning his criminal career at the young age of 11, Reader was involved in various daring heists throughout his life.

In the 1960s, he orchestrated a hit on a Post Office

stealing £500,000 worth of goods. In 1971, he led the “Millionaire Moles” gang in tunneling into a Baker Street branch of Lloyds bank, making off with a £3 million haul. This was followed by another successful heist at a Lloyds branch in Holborn Circus in 1982, where jewels worth £1 million were stolen.

Reader’s expertise led him to become the mastermind behind the audacious Hatton Garden raid in 2015, earning him the nickname “Guv’nor.” Alongside his gang, dubbed the “Diamond Wheezers,” they tunneled into a safety deposit vault and stole £29 million. Despite being jailed for six years and three months for his role, Reader was released in 2018 due to health issues, including strokes.

Despite his criminal activities, Reader was described as a dedicated family man.

He returned home every night to his childhood sweetheart Lyn, unlike many other criminals of his stature. The couple, along with their children, lived under the assumed name of McCarthy in Grove Park, South East London, after demanding an end to their life on the run.

Reader’s death marks the end of an era for Britain’s criminal underworld. His legacy as one of the country’s most successful and audacious thieves will undoubtedly live on.

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