Shocking footage shows four masked men using ultra-powerful hydraulic rescue equipment as alarm blares out across Welsh industrial estate
Astonishing footage has captured the moment a masked gang used specialist fire service equipment to break into an armoured G4S security van in broad daylight at a Newport industrial estate.
The dramatic video shows four men working against the clock to remove a safe from inside the cash-in-transit vehicle using what appears to be hydraulic rescue equipment known as the “jaws of life” – typically used by firefighters to save crash victims.
Police are now hunting the gang following the audacious raid at the Reevesland Industrial Estate in Newport, South Wales, earlier this month.
SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT STOLEN FROM FIRE SERVICE
A source who sent the shocking footage to MailOnline revealed the crew were using highly specialised equipment believed to have been stolen from emergency services.
“It’s called a hydraulic power pack. Some of the lads have been stealing from the fire service,” the source explained.
“They are known as the ‘jaws of life’ and they generate huge power. Perfect for opening a safe or bank strong door.”
The hydraulic rescue tools can generate thousands of pounds of force per square inch – enough to slice through metal car frames in seconds during emergency rescues.
ALARM RINGS OUT AS GANG WORKS
The footage shows the brazen thieves continuing their operation even as the van’s security alarm rang out across the industrial estate.
At one point in the video, shocked office workers in a nearby building can be heard discussing the unfolding incident as they filmed it on mobile phones.
“The audacity of these criminals is breathtaking,” one witness reportedly said.
BUNDLES OF CASH THROWN INTO SACKS
In subsequent clips, the gang can be seen throwing bundles of cash into large sacks before piling into a waiting blue Audi.
The getaway vehicle then sped off out of the yard, leaving the ransacked security van behind.
THREE ARRESTS MADE
Gwent Police have now arrested three men from Bristol in connection with the incident.
A police spokesman confirmed: “Two men, aged 34 and 38, from Bristol were arrested on suspicion of robbery and have been released on police bail.
A third man – a 33-year-old from Bristol – was also later arrested on suspicion of robbery and assault by beating of an emergency worker and released on police bail.
The force added: “Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to submit via the Major Incident Public Portal.
HIGH-TECH SECURITY NO MATCH
G4S vans transport millions in cash daily across the UK and are equipped with sophisticated security measures including:
- Armoured bodywork
- CCTV cameras
- Satellite tracking technology
- SmartWater marking systems
- Ink-staining devices that render stolen notes unusable
According to a 2016 company release, G4S transports £300billion of cash every year across Britain.
Despite these security features, the gang’s use of emergency service equipment appears to have overcome the van’s defences.
GROWING TREND OF ‘JAWS OF LIFE’ CRIMES
The Newport incident follows a worrying trend of criminals using stolen rescue equipment for robberies.
Earlier this year, Seattle police arrested a gang that stole over $1 million from ATMs using jaws of life tools stolen from fire departments.
In March, three men were charged in Maryland after using the hydraulic tools to rob multiple 7-Eleven ATMs, stealing over $200,000.
The powerful hydraulic tools, which can exert up to 10,000 pounds of force, are designed to save lives by cutting through twisted metal in car accidents. But in criminal hands, they become formidable safe-cracking devices.
INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
Gwent Police are urging anyone with information about the robbery to come forward.
The brazen daylight raid has raised serious questions about the security of emergency service equipment and whether fire stations need enhanced protection for their life-saving tools.
As one security expert noted: “If criminals have access to jaws of life equipment, traditional security measures on cash-in-transit vehicles may need urgent review.
