The second series of The Heist began last Thursday on Sky One. It saw nine law-abiding citizens coming together to try and pull off a million pound bank job.
Set in the historic market town of Alnwick, Northumberland, the first episode introduced us to this year’s gang of thieves. We also met the police detective team, led by Detective Chief Superintendent Sue Hill and Detective Superintendent Ray Howard, who would be trying to track them down.
The episode showed us the thieves meeting for the first time to plan their Hatton Garden-style bank job. Their plan saw them purchase burner phones, two getaway vehicles and don blue boiler suits and Donald Trump masks. Eight of the team carried out the attack while the ninth member Christine took the role of lookout.
They were able to smash their way through the back of the bank before using specialist drilling equipment to make three large holes into the vault. The holes were big enough for some of the thieves to climb through before smashing their way into security lock boxes with sledgehammers. They also used an angle grider to cut through another door to grab more cash. All the money was collected into large bags which was then carried out to their waiting vehicles.
They got away as the alarm was raised giving them a few precious minutes lead on the responding police team. The thieves rendezvoused at an abandoned warehouse while the police team began their forensic investigation. At the warehouse the cash was counted before being split equally. In total they were shocked to have stolen approximately £1 million giving them a share of roughly £111,000 each.
Knowing the police wouldn’t be far behind them they trashed the getaway cars and began making off with their spoils on foot. None had them had planned for how heavy their loot would be which saw some of them really struggle to get away. Everyone also left still dressed in their boiler suits and masks so were spotted by members of the public. Mickey & Ryan had arranged to be picked up but their friend didn’t show. This mean Ryan had to stand in the street with the look while Mickey took the risk of heading home to get his own car.
The police were able to use the CCTV network to work out where the getaway cars had gone and quickly identified the warehouse. When they arrived at the warehouse they found the thieves were long gone. The trashed cars proved a problem for forensics but the thieves hadn’t removed their registration plates or VIN numbers. This allowed detectives to trace where the vehicles were bought, how they were paid for and who bought them. Following this lead they picked up the number of one of the burner phones.
Meanwhile, the thieves began hiding and spending their loot. Ex-copper Helen Ruff seemed pretty confident she could use her experience to stay one-step ahead but made some silly mistakes. These included using the burner phone to call her husband and her own credit card to purchase the burner phones.
Detectives found a lead that gave them the description of a woman seen around the warehouse before the bank job. It was Helen in disguise but the police didn’t know that and an appeal on social media didn’t turn up any leads. Meanwhile Helen began destroying the clothes she had worn and her burner phone. It looks like it will only be a matter of time until the police identify her.
In episode two, evidence is scare and the detectives only lead is a burner phone used in the planning of the heist. After data analysis it’s not long before they identify their first suspect.
While the investigation gathers pace the thieves start to enjoy the spoils of their crime, splashing their cash on items they previously could only dream of.
Fearing the detectives are on his tail, Skipper Micky Craig uses his maritime knowledge to execute an audacious loot move to the North Sea.
And it’s blue-on-blue as ex-copper Helen Ruff goes up against the detectives and an intense battle of wills ensues. Will the detectives be able to outwit her and successfully bring down one of their own?
The Heist: Million Pound Bank Job airs on Sky One and NOW TV on Thursdays and is also be available on Sky on-demand. Preview episode two in our gallery:
