Hatton Garden Heist Insider Michael Seed Slapped With £6m Payback or Jail
Michael Seed, 60, the last fugitive of the infamous Hatton Garden jewellery heist, now faces a harsh ultimatum: cough up nearly £6 million or do another 7 years behind bars.
From Heist to Heavy Sentence
Seed was jailed for ten years back in March 2019 after being convicted of conspiracy to burgle the famous Easter Bank Holiday 2015 raid. The gang stole a whopping £13.9 million from safe deposit boxes deep in London’s jewel district.
Seed, who disabled the site’s security systems, was the only suspect left at large until his conviction.
£6 Million Confiscation Order Hits Seed Hard
Following a recent hearing at Woolwich Crown Court, a hefty confiscation order was slapped on Seed under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
He now has three months to pay back £5,997,684.93 or face an added seven years in prison.
Met’s Flying Squad Vows: Crime Won’t Pay
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Bedford said: “Seed, also known as Basil, was the man who disabled the Hatton Garden security. His conviction closed one of the longest investigations in Flying Squad history.”
“So far, we’ve recovered just over a third of the stolen goods, returning much to the victims. But this is far from over.”
“With ongoing efforts, including confiscation orders on other gang members, we’re sending a clear message: crime does not pay.”