A G4S driver has admitted stealing almost £1 million from one of the firm’s vans.
Joel March is alleged to have fled with deposit boxes after abandoning the cash-in-transit vehicle in a leafy south London street on Tuesday morning.
The blue armoured van, emblazoned with G4S logos, sat on a double yellow line on Larkhall Rise, Clapham, for eight hours before police were alerted, The Sun reported.
The Metropolitan Police’s elite Flying Squad unit launched an investigation and the 36-year-old was arrested on suspicion of theft in neighbouring Brixton on Wednesday afternoon.
March, of Rectory Grove, Clapham, appeared at Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court on Thursday where he admitted one count of theft by employee, prosecutors said.
The charge states he stole £970,000 from G4S on Tuesday but only £60,000 has so far been recovered.
March will next appear at Inner London Crown Court at a date to be fixed.
A quantity of cash was recovered and G4S, a major government contractor, said there had been no “material” financial impact from the incident.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: “Police were called at approximately 7pm on Tuesday 23 April to reports of a theft of cash deposit boxes from a cash-in-transit vehicle.
“Officers attended a location in the Larkhall Rise area of Clapham where the vehicle was parked. There was no sign of forced entry to the vehicle.”
A G4S spokeswoman said: “These incidents are extremely rare in our UK cash business and we are working closely with the Metropolitan Police to resolve the matter. The financial impact is not material.”