Australian bank to bear £22m loss
The National Australia Bank confirmed it had no external insurance policy to offset the losses for Britain’s biggest bank raid.
The bank also confirmed initial audits showed around £20m was seized by the gang behind the heist. But the owners insisted the robbery would have no knock-on effect for the sale of the Northern to the Danish Danske Bank Group announced earlier this month.
A statement from the bank said: “Approximately £20m was stolen from Northern Bank on Monday evening, December 20, 2004. The theft is covered by self-insurance, and as such, National Australia Bank, which currently owns Northern Bank, will bear the impact of any losses arising from the theft.”
Police are expected to release more details about the raid on the Northern’s Belfast headquarters today.
It is believed up to 20 people may have been involved and, at this stage, police are not ruling out paramilitary involvement.
