Hatton Garden jewellery burglary: Met police under fire for failing to respond to alarm

Metropolitan Police were alerted shortly after midnight but the call was graded in a way that 'meant that no police response was deemed to be required'

Burglars got away with millions of pounds of gems

Scotland Yard has come under fire after it emerged police were told a burglar alarm had gone off at the scene of the Hatton Garden safety deposit raid, but decided it did not require a response.

A security firm contacted the Metropolitan Police about an intruder alert shortly after midnight on Good Friday but the call was graded in a way that “meant that no police response was deemed to be required”. It was not until the morning of 7 April that the audacious raid was discovered.

It was also revealed yesterday that a total of 72 safety deposit boxes were opened. Five were vacant and 11 were due to be “drilled out” due to non payment of fees, meaning detectives are attempting to contact 56 box holders.

Police insisted it was too early to say if the handling of the alarm call would have an impact on the investigation, but the revelations are likely to compound the anger of victims. Michael Miller, from Knightsbridge, who may have lost £50,000 in uninsured jewellery, said: “I am shocked and disappointed to hear the police didn’t answer that alarm.

“This completely changes things, the knowledge that something could have been done.The police pride themselves on being somewhere in a few minutes. On this occasion they just weren’t there.”