£26m bank raid van crossed border

[struggle4progress]

JOHN INNES

THE van used in the £26.5 million Northern Bank robbery in Belfast before Christmas crossed the border from the Irish Republic only hours before the raid.

Details of the van’s movements were given by police as the political implications of the IRA being blamed for the robbery by Hugh Orde, the Northern Ireland chief constable, were being debated by politicians at Westminster. <snip>

Det Supt Andy Sproule appealed to the public for more information about the white Ford Transit box van, registration number RCZ 6632, used in the robbery.

He also revealed that the Northern Bank had made no record of the serial numbers of £900,000 worth of new £100 notes and £250,000 of new £50 notes. <snip>

http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=34822005


Van used in Belfast bank raid was driven from South

<snip> Det Supt Andy Sproule, the senior investigating officer, said yesterday that his team knew that the distinctive white Ford van was driven across the Border on the main Belfast road at around 5 p.m. on December 20th, the day of the robbery.

It made two visits to Wellington Street in Belfast, according to CCTV evidence, at a side entrance to the bank at 7.12 p.m. and again at 8.12 p.m., but its whereabouts after that remain unknown. Details of its movements are "particularly important", Det Supt Sproule said.

Speaking from the investigation incident room in north Belfast, he said: "Where did the van go? Somebody must have seen it." Following the claim by the Chief Constable, Mr Hugh Orde, of IRA involvement, Det Supt Sproule said he was aware the public could be afraid to come forward because of perceived paramilitary threats. <snip>

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2005/0112/2206054795HM1NORTHLEAD.html


Police identify bank heist van
11/01/2005 - 17:43:02

<snip> Mr Sproule also revealed that at the moment the Northern Bank had decided against offering a reward. <snip>

http://212.2.162.45/news/story.asp?j=130084030&p=y3xx84736&n=130084790