Police taped Hatton Garden men bragging about 'biggest robbery in the world'

The men behind the biggest burglary in English history were caught on tape bragging about pulling off the Hatton Garden raid after detectives placed recording devices in their cars, a court heard.

In the days after the raid, Terry Perkins, 67, Daniel Jones, 58, and John "Kenny" Collins, 75, were recorded on police probes bragging about the loot they stole.

One electronic bug was placed in Perkins's blue Citroen Saxo, and another in Collins's white Mercedes, Woolwich Crown Court in south east London has heard.

The prosecution allege that a man referred to in the conversations as "Carl", is Carl Wood, 58, while "Bill" is William Lincoln, 60 and the "taxi driver" is Jon Harbinson, 42.

While a man referred to in the recordings as "Hughey" is allegedly Hugh Doyle, 48.

In a conversation recorded on May 15, Perkins is heard telling Jones: "Sellable yes, necklaces - all stone ones, few of them. Few of those bracelets ones, then you got the necklace with the f****** big emeralds in it with the matching earrings.

"Another one there they look nice ... Put stones in them, the necklace. Must be a couple hundred rings there, but he's got a wrap like that, two of them, full of rings and ... Big diamonds, rings there."

Later, Perkins exclaims: "How the f*** has that Bill got involved, another two people know. Bill and the taxi driver."

Still in the same car, on May 15, Perkins suggests it is good that the police think the raid was an inside job.

He goes on to brag: "No, they can't work that out. That is the biggest robbery that could have ever ever been."

"Yeah," replies Jones.

Perkins continues: "That will never happen again." When Jones responds "no", he continues: "The biggest robbery in the f****** world, Dan, we was on and that c***...

"The whole f****** 12 years I've been with him, three, four bits of work, f***** every one of them."

Jones is then recorded saying: "And he would have f***** this if we walked away with him."

Perkins says that, with his share or the goods, he has at least paid for his daughter's holiday and made sure she is all right.

He continues: "Not all I wanted to give them, but let's see what we got once we chop it up. We will have half a clue. You can't plan on doing anything until you know what you got, can you?"

The men later appear to make reference to a different robbery, with Jones saying that Perkins has seen enough money in his life.

"A million pound out of the airport... F****** hell," Jones is recorded saying.

Perkins replies: "£6 million out of there, f*** me."

Jones is next heard saying: "The biggest cash robbery in history at the time, and now the biggest tom history in the f****** world. That's what they are saying.

"And if you listen to the master, you walk away. The master."

Jurors have heard that the gang referred to their oldest member, Brian Reader, 76, as the master.

In the discussion Perkins also talks about his age, adding that he took his insulin injections with him on the raid, but that "Carl" saw Reader walk away from the burglary on the first night and was "screaming like a f****** pig".

The probe further captures Perkins saying "Carl" must be cursing himself and be considering committing suicide, after pulling out of the raid on the second night.

He adds: "I'm trying to put myself in his mind, forget about everything, I'm him.

"The bloke would be sitting at the airport. I bet he is boozing now ... Unless he has seen the light."

The men are also heard discussing gold and a "12 carat diamond". At one stage they also refer to Collins as "being "f***** every day of the week".

Ringleaders Reader, Collins, Jones, and Perkins, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit.

Wood, of Elderbeck Close, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire; Lincoln, of Winkley Street, Bethnal Green, east London; and Harbinson, of Beresford Gardens, Benfleet, Essex, face the same charge of conspiracy to commit burglary between May 17 2014 and 7.30am on April 5 this year.

A fourth man, plumbing engineer Doyle, of Riverside Gardens, Enfield, north London, is jointly charged with them on one count of conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property between January 1 and May 19, this year.

He also faces an alternative charge of concealing, converting or transferring criminal property between April 1 and May 19 this year

One of the thieves, a red-haired man known only as Basil, is yet to be identified.

The trial continues at 10am on Monday.