London jewelry raid suspects appear in court

LONDON — Eight men appeared in court here Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to burglarize in relation to the theft of millions of dollars worth of valuables from safe deposit boxes in London's jewelry quarter.

The men, who range in age from 48 to 76, were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in the raid in central London over Easter weekend.

The suspects were remanded in custody after appearing in London's Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday. A ninth suspect was released on bail, pending further inquiries, Scotland Yard said.

The raid, which drew comparisons with the film The Italian Job, saw thieves drill into a vault at the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd in central London before making off in a van with the contents of dozens of safe deposit boxes.

Court prosecutor Edmund Hall said the total value of the stolen items was not yet known, but ran "in excess of £10 million ($16 million)" the U.K. Press Association reported.

He said 73 safe deposit boxes were opened, according to the news agency. The men are due to appear at the higher Southwark Crown Court in London on June 4.

A tenth man, age 42. was arrested Thursday in Essex, a county east of the capital, and was being questioned at a police station in London, Scotland Yard said.