Icon scoops Clifford Thurlow's How to Rob the Bank of England

Icon has scooped How to Rob the Bank of England, a new book from Clifford Thurlow.

Senior commissioning editor Connor Stait acquired world rights, including audio, from Andrew Lownie of the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency. The book will be published in September 2024.

"On a sunny May morning in 1990, a bank courier strode out of the Bank of England and, minutes later, was robbed at knifepoint of 301 bearer bonds valued at £292m," the synopsis says. "It was the biggest theft in British history. The thing is... when Keith Cheeseman received a call from a disbarred lawyer connected to London’s underworld and attended a meeting on the night of the robbery, he counted £427m in bonds — £135m more than the Bank of England had reported. So what happened to the missing £135m?"

Stait said: "Keith Cheeseman is a natural storyteller, and Clifford Thurlow has fashioned these stories into a truly remarkable narrative. After more than 30 years, this book will finally reveal the astonishing tale of this remarkable heist."

Cheeseman added: "Working with Clifford and Icon Books has been a pleasure, and I’m looking forward to finally telling the inside story of Britain’s biggest ever robbery."

Thurlow commented: "Keith Cheeseman robbed banks as payback for the banks robbing us. I’ve enjoyed working with Keith and the book has found its perfect home at Icon. I’m grateful to my agent Andrew Lownie for the opportunity and can’t wait for readers enjoy this stranger-than-fiction caper."