The Knightsbridge Heist: Part 1 – Inside Valerio Viccei’s £60 Million Robbery - Featuring Detective Dick Leach

12/17/24 • 31 min

Discover the shocking details of the Knightsbridge Heist from 1987, one of the world’s largest robberies. Join Martin Brunt, Helen Fospero, and Dick Leach as they reveal how Valerio Viccei's £60 million heist was foiled. Exclusive insights and true crime storytelling await in this first part of our double episode.

On July 12, 1987, one of the world’s largest robberies took place at the Knightsbridge Safe Deposit Centre in London. Led by the notorious Valerio Viccei, his criminal crew managed to steal an estimated £60 million, making it one of the most audacious heists in history. Known for his dangerous past and playboy lifestyle, Viccei left behind a bloody fingerprint that eventually led to his capture.

In the first part of our "True Criminals" double episode on the Knightsbridge Heist, crime expert Martin Brunt from Sky News and seasoned journalist Helen Fospero sit down with Dick Leach, the detective who played a pivotal role in bringing the mastermind Valerio Viccei to justice.

Listen as they discuss the investigation, hear exclusive insights from Dick Leach, and learn how this daring heist was eventually unraveled. Tune in to this gripping true crime story and discover the secrets behind one of the UK's most infamous robberies.

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Share Your Thoughts and Questions: Connect with us via email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals

Support Us: If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals

Connect with Martin Brunt: Twitter: @skymartinbrunt Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter. Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY

Connect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575

Credits: True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global. Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.

Executive Producer: Lee Mann Producer: Russell Barnes Audio Production: Andrew Chappell Music Composition: Chap Mannequin Artwork: Bleached

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Share Your Thoughts and Questions: Connect with us via email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals

Support Us: If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals

Connect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575

Credits: True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global. Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.

Executive Producer: Lee Mann Producer: Russell Barnes Audio Production: Andrew Chappell Music Composition: Chap Mannequin Artwork: Bleached

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Madeleine McCann: Disappeared: Part 3 – Trolls, Tragedy & Truth

In Part 3 of True Criminals, Martin Brunt and Helen Fospero delve into the chilling consequences of online trollingand media pressure in the Madeleine McCann case. The episode explores how digital abuse, public scrutiny, and media sensationalism escalated to tragic outcomes, culminating in the heartbreaking death of Brenda Leyland. This raises critical questions about the responsibility of both media and digital platforms in perpetuating online hate.

In this compelling conclusion to Madeleine McCann: Disappeared, True Criminals shifts focus from the physical search to the psychological and digital landscape that followed. Hosted by Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt and veteran journalist Helen Fospero, the episode unravels the profound toll of online harassment on the McCann family and the role the media played in exacerbating public outrage and misinformation.

Part 3: Trolls centers on the tragic story of Brenda Leyland, a Twitter user who became notorious for spreading conspiracy theories about the McCanns. After being confronted by Martin Brunt in a Sky News interview, Leyland tragically took her own life. This devastating incident highlights the dark side of digital platforms and ignites a wider conversation about media ethics, mental health, and the consequences of online hate.

Martin Brunt offers rare, deeply personal reflections on the impact of this tragedy—on both the individuals involved and the media landscape at large. He also addresses the ethical dilemmas journalists face when navigating the digital age.

For fans of The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann (Netflix), The Missing, and Crime Junkie, this episode provides a sobering examination of how true crime obsession and digital trolling collide, with devastating consequences for real people.

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Share Your Thoughts and Questions: Connect with us via email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals

Support Us: If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals

Connect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575

Credits: True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global. Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.

Executive Producer: Lee Mann Producer: Russell Barnes Audio Production: Andrew Chappell Music Composition: Chap Mannequin Artwork: Bleached

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

The Knightsbridge Heist: Part 2 – Interview with the £60 Million Robber

In the thrilling conclusion to our two-part series on the infamous Knightsbridge Heist, we unveil the shocking truth behind the world’s largest robbery through an exclusive interview with Valerio Viccei—the criminal mastermind himself.

Join Sky News’ Martin Brunt as he recounts his pivotal trip to Italy, where he met Viccei for the first time and crossed paths with Detective Dick Leach, the man who played a crucial role in bringing the mastermind to justice. This powerful encounter would forever alter their views on the audacious man behind one of history's most daring heists.

A tale of ambition, recklessness, and the devastating cost of living on the edge, this is a story you won't want to miss. Don’t miss the thrilling finale to the Knightsbridge Heist saga as we dive deep into the high-stakes world of criminal masterminds and the relentless pursuit of justice.

For fans of The Great Robbery of Brazil's Central Bank, How to Rob a Bank, The Masked Scammer, Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami, Big Mäck: Gangsters and Gold, Shiny_Flakes: The Teenage Drug Lord, Illusions for Sale: The Rise and Fall of Generation Zoe, and Vjeran Tomic: The Spider-Man of Paris.

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Share Your Thoughts and Questions: Connect with us via email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals

Support Us: If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals

Connect with Martin Brunt: Twitter: @skymartinbrunt Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter. Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY

Connect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575

Credits: True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global. Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.

Executive Producer: Lee Mann Producer: Russell Barnes Audio Production: Andrew Chappell Music Composition: Chap Mannequin Artwork: Bleached

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.