"Fast Eddie" jailed for five years over £1.2million security van heist

10:30am Tuesday 5th March 2013 in Local News By Gina Marden

"Fast Eddie" admits £1.2million security van heist "Fast Eddie" admits £1.2million security van heist

A BRITISH man who spent almost 20 years as a fugitive in the US has admitted the theft of a security van containing £1.2 million has been jailed for five years.

Eddie Maher - known as "Fast Eddie" - was wanted by Suffolk Police after the Securicor van he was driving disappeared from outside the Lloyds Bank in Felixstowe, Suffolk, on January 22 1993.

The 57-year-old, originally from South Woodham Ferrers,  was arrested by US authorities in February last year and held in custody awaiting trial after denying the theft following his deportation.

But today he entered a last-minute guilty plea at Southwark Crown Court in London.

He is expected to be sentenced this morning.
 

Maher, who used the false identities of Stephen King and his brother Michael Maher while on the run, intended to fight the allegation on the grounds that he had been forced to commit the crime after racking up "significant debts

Comments (20)

12:21pm Tue 5 Mar 13

supermadmax says...

It should be taken into consideration that he has been an upstanding member of the american community for the past twenty years.

Remember being arrested for having firearms illegally is no way near as serious in the states as it is in the UK. (that's how they caught him, not that Echo bothered to find out)
It should be taken into consideration that he has been an upstanding member of the american community for the past twenty years. Remember being arrested for having firearms illegally is no way near as serious in the states as it is in the UK. (that's how they caught him, not that Echo bothered to find out) supermadmax

12:48pm Tue 5 Mar 13

CaptainBlackadder says...

supermadmax wrote:
It should be taken into consideration that he has been an upstanding member of the american community for the past twenty years.

Remember being arrested for having firearms illegally is no way near as serious in the states as it is in the UK. (that's how they caught him, not that Echo bothered to find out)
Oh so thats alright then - he had been an upstanding member of society for 20 years so we should forget the £1.2 million he had stolen and probably would do again if he was short of a few bob!
[quote][p][bold]supermadmax[/bold] wrote: It should be taken into consideration that he has been an upstanding member of the american community for the past twenty years. Remember being arrested for having firearms illegally is no way near as serious in the states as it is in the UK. (that's how they caught him, not that Echo bothered to find out)[/p][/quote]Oh so thats alright then - he had been an upstanding member of society for 20 years so we should forget the £1.2 million he had stolen and probably would do again if he was short of a few bob! CaptainBlackadder

1:08pm Tue 5 Mar 13

supermadmax says...

You often get less for murder in the UK that you do for commercial robbery. What a joke the system is. The guy should of get no more than a couple of years and even then it is questionable whether he should be locked up at the taxpayers cost or given community service.
You often get less for murder in the UK that you do for commercial robbery. What a joke the system is. The guy should of get no more than a couple of years and even then it is questionable whether he should be locked up at the taxpayers cost or given community service. supermadmax

1:31pm Tue 5 Mar 13

j-w says...

5 years! thats it! Blimey. be out in two.
5 years! thats it! Blimey. be out in two. j-w

2:00pm Tue 5 Mar 13

whateverhappened says...

still 240k per year if he does all five, worth a go really.
still 240k per year if he does all five, worth a go really. whateverhappened

2:05pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Blind Haze says...

Perhaps I'm misreading this story but it says he's been jailed for 5 years but is awaiting sentencing?
Perhaps I'm misreading this story but it says he's been jailed for 5 years but is awaiting sentencing? Blind Haze

2:07pm Tue 5 Mar 13

pitsea lady says...

5 years wat a joke , still after 20 years watching his back wats another 5 probably only do 2.
5 years wat a joke , still after 20 years watching his back wats another 5 probably only do 2. pitsea lady

2:18pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Jess Jephcott says...

Be sure your sins will find you out. I remember when it happened and wondering how he did it. The police failed yet again but I suppose they will put this down to another crime solved. After prosecuting my son for getting knocked off his motorbike in Sainsbury's car park, they have now solved two crimes. Only another 6998 to go!
Be sure your sins will find you out. I remember when it happened and wondering how he did it. The police failed yet again but I suppose they will put this down to another crime solved. After prosecuting my son for getting knocked off his motorbike in Sainsbury's car park, they have now solved two crimes. Only another 6998 to go! Jess Jephcott

3:19pm Tue 5 Mar 13

wellnow says...

It is such a shame he couldn't sent to a southern american state where he could have been leroys **** for five years.
It is such a shame he couldn't sent to a southern american state where he could have been leroys **** for five years. wellnow

4:16pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Ontheball says...

If this article had been up before the courts 20 years ago he would have got at least 20yrs. The watered down and pathetic justice system now gives him a so-called 5yrs, of which he will serve 2 at the most!! No wonder this country is in the state it is in!!
If this article had been up before the courts 20 years ago he would have got at least 20yrs. The watered down and pathetic justice system now gives him a so-called 5yrs, of which he will serve 2 at the most!! No wonder this country is in the state it is in!! Ontheball

4:41pm Tue 5 Mar 13

firedog says...

Crime dosent pay, year right.
Crime dosent pay, year right. firedog

5:17pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Nebs says...

When is the proceeds of crime hearing?
When is the proceeds of crime hearing? Nebs

8:45pm Tue 5 Mar 13

I hate the police says...

No wonder so many people are commiting crime (Including myself). Crime does pay, end of.
No wonder so many people are commiting crime (Including myself). Crime does pay, end of. I hate the police

10:39pm Tue 5 Mar 13

mirokou says...

j-w wrote:
5 years! thats it! Blimey. be out in two.
18 months max. 12 months in cat c, 6 months in Ford Open then out . Not bad For £1.2 million.
Weigh it up, crime is 20 years old , early guilty plea , prisons are full and he's broke and poses no threat or danger to the public.
[quote][p][bold]j-w[/bold] wrote: 5 years! thats it! Blimey. be out in two.[/p][/quote]18 months max. 12 months in cat c, 6 months in Ford Open then out . Not bad For £1.2 million. Weigh it up, crime is 20 years old , early guilty plea , prisons are full and he's broke and poses no threat or danger to the public. mirokou

11:02pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Letmetryagain says...

At least comments can be left on this story.

I wonder why comments are not permitted on either of the current "Traveller" stories ?
At least comments can be left on this story. I wonder why comments are not permitted on either of the current "Traveller" stories ? Letmetryagain

8:55am Wed 6 Mar 13

r6keith says...

whateverhappened wrote:
still 240k per year if he does all five, worth a go really.
My thoughts are the same, even if you served the full sentence thats £220000 per year and no tax.That must equal to about £500000 per year in the real world the rest of us try to survive in !
[quote][p][bold]whateverhappened[/bold] wrote: still 240k per year if he does all five, worth a go really.[/p][/quote]My thoughts are the same, even if you served the full sentence thats £220000 per year and no tax.That must equal to about £500000 per year in the real world the rest of us try to survive in ! r6keith

8:59am Wed 6 Mar 13

r6keith says...

mirokou wrote:
j-w wrote: 5 years! thats it! Blimey. be out in two.
18 months max. 12 months in cat c, 6 months in Ford Open then out . Not bad For £1.2 million. Weigh it up, crime is 20 years old , early guilty plea , prisons are full and he's broke and poses no threat or danger to the public.
With good behaviour do you think he could get his old job back ? He only made one slight error surely thats a verbal warning !
[quote][p][bold]mirokou[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]j-w[/bold] wrote: 5 years! thats it! Blimey. be out in two.[/p][/quote]18 months max. 12 months in cat c, 6 months in Ford Open then out . Not bad For £1.2 million. Weigh it up, crime is 20 years old , early guilty plea , prisons are full and he's broke and poses no threat or danger to the public.[/p][/quote]With good behaviour do you think he could get his old job back ? He only made one slight error surely thats a verbal warning ! r6keith

9:07am Wed 6 Mar 13

DogsMessInLeigh says...

r6keith wrote:
whateverhappened wrote:
still 240k per year if he does all five, worth a go really.
My thoughts are the same, even if you served the full sentence thats £220000 per year and no tax.That must equal to about £500000 per year in the real world the rest of us try to survive in !
£220000 per year...he could of ran a CCTV spy car in Southend for that.
[quote][p][bold]r6keith[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]whateverhappened[/bold] wrote: still 240k per year if he does all five, worth a go really.[/p][/quote]My thoughts are the same, even if you served the full sentence thats £220000 per year and no tax.That must equal to about £500000 per year in the real world the rest of us try to survive in ![/p][/quote]£220000 per year...he could of ran a CCTV spy car in Southend for that. DogsMessInLeigh

5:16pm Wed 6 Mar 13

TheEqualizer1 says...

He never did anyone any harm...Although a dishonest act for sure...He got away with it for 20 years and the best of luck to him...5 years is a bit harsh
He never did anyone any harm...Although a dishonest act for sure...He got away with it for 20 years and the best of luck to him...5 years is a bit harsh TheEqualizer1

1:19am Sun 10 Mar 13

ALIUK1 says...

I want some of this :) I am sure he has a holiday home somewhere hidden for a retirement fund for when he comes out. But 5 years is laughable, the guy that ran my uncle over in the general hospital approach road and caused his untimely death got less than that and he physically killed someone and only got a years driving ban. How can that be justice.?!?!
I want some of this :) I am sure he has a holiday home somewhere hidden for a retirement fund for when he comes out. But 5 years is laughable, the guy that ran my uncle over in the general hospital approach road and caused his untimely death got less than that and he physically killed someone and only got a years driving ban. How can that be justice.?!?! ALIUK1

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