About this episode

The episode explores the Brink’s-Mat Gold Heist, detailing the robbery, its aftermath, and insights from former Flying Squad Commander Roy Ramm.

When six masked men burst into the Brinks Mat warehouse near Heathrow in the early hours of 26 November 1983, they expected cash. Instead, they stumbled upon nearly 6,800 gold bars worth £26 million, the biggest bullion robbery in British history. What followed would become one of the most notorious and far reaching criminal investigations the UK has ever seen. In Part One of this special three part series from True Criminals, hosts Martin and Helen unravel the violent raid that shocked Britain and changed organised crime forever. From terrified security guards and an inside man who opened the vault doors, to career criminals Kenneth Noye, Brian Reader and “Mad” Mickey McAvoy, we trace the chaotic first days after the robbery and the desperate race to turn stolen gold into cash. Joining us in the studio is former Metropolitan Police Commander and former head of the Flying Squad, Roy Ramm, who brings extraordinary insight into the investigation from the perspective of Scotland Yard. Roy explains how Brinks Mat marked the beginning of a colder, more sophisticated era of British organised crime, and why the murder of Detective Constable John Fordham changed the case forever. This is…

People in this episode

Hosts: Martin, Helen

Guest: Roy Ramm

Topics covered

• gold heist
• organized crime
• criminal investigation
• British history
• violence
• corruption
• greed

Keywords

• Brink's Mat
• gold bars
• robbery
• organized crime
• Scotland Yard
• investigation
• Roy Ramm
• British history
• violence
• corruption

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Scotland Yard

Places: Brinks Mat warehouse

More episodes of True Criminals

• John Worboys: The Black Cab Rapist — with Special Guest Carrie Johnson · June 1, 2026 · 1h 4m
• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's Biggest Crisis Yet? | True Criminals Briefing · May 29, 2026 · 11 min
• The Brink’s-Mat Gold Heist | With Special Guest Former Flying Squad Commander Roy Ramm | PART 3 · May 25, 2026 · 35 min
• The Brink’s-Mat Gold Heist | With Special Guest Former Flying Squad Commander Roy Ramm | PART 2 · May 19, 2026 · 45 min
• True Criminals: Most Wanted – Operation Captura | In Partnership with the National Crime Agency & Crimestoppers · May 14, 2026 · 46 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the True Criminals podcast page.