Brian Reader, the notorious modern gangster and mastermind behind the high-profile Hatton Garden heist, passed away at the age of 84 in September 2023. Known as the ‘Guv’nor,’ Reader led the raid alongside seven accomplices, tunneling into a safety deposit vault and stealing £29 million. Despite pleading guilty and receiving a six-year sentence, Reader’s health deteriorated, suffering strokes and leading to his release mid-sentence. To date, a significant portion of the stolen money and jewels remain missing, casting a lingering shadow over one of London’s most infamous heists.
Reader’s criminal career spanned decades, targeting banks in London from the age of 32. His experience culminated in the Hatton Garden raid in 2015, where he became known as the ‘Guv’nor’ for his leadership role. The raid involved seven culprits tunneling their way into a safety deposit vault, stealing £29 million in cash and jewels.
Despite the brazen nature of the heist, Reader pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and was jailed for six years. However, his health deteriorated in 2018, leading to a series of strokes. As a result, he was released mid-way through his sentence on compassionate grounds.
The Hatton Garden heist remains one of the most audacious and intriguing crimes in recent British history. To this day, two-thirds of the stolen money and a large number of jewels remain missing, adding to the mystery and intrigue surrounding the raid. Brian Reader’s death brings to a close a chapter in the story of this infamous heist, but the lingering question of the missing loot continues to fascinate and fuel speculation.
