The Northern Bank Job: The Heist and How They Got Away with It

by Glenn Patterson

Bloomsbury presents The Northern Bank Job by Glenn Patterson, read by Aidan O’Neill.

The true story of one of the biggest bank heists in Irish and British history – and the questions that remain.

On a Sunday evening in December 2004, two young men were at home with their families. Both worked for the Northern Bank’s cash centre in Belfast. They heard knocks on their front doors. Within a few minutes, masked men invaded their homes, overpowered their loved ones and disabled their electronic devices. It was made clear to the two bank officials that they had a do what they were told or their families would die.

Over the course of the following day, £26.5 million was stolen from the Northern the biggest cash heist in Irish and British history. The two men whose families were held hostage simply re-labelled vast amounts of cash as rubbish and wheeled huge bags to a van waiting outside in the street, yards from Belfast’s City Hall. The robbers’ knowledge of the inner workings of the bank was astonishing. They deployed a large crew of drivers, guards, watchers and gunmen.

It was immediately obvious that only one organization had the ability to plan and execute such an audacious, minutely-planned the Irish Republican Army. But the IRA was supposed to be demobilized as a result of the Good Friday Peace Agreement signed six years earlier. The leaders of Sinn Féin (who were also leaders of the IRA) vehemently denied they had anything to do with it.

No-one believed them. The governments in London, Dublin and Washington were outraged. Yet no one was ever been convicted of any crime relating to the heist and little more than two years later, Sinn Féin was in government in Northern Ireland.

In the wake of the twentieth anniversary of this bizarre robbery, Glenn Patterson builds on his popular BBC podcast to shed new light on the story of the infamous heist, the victims, the organizers and the abortive, at times comically inept, attempts to find the people who carried it out.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Audiobook, True Crime

272 pages, Paperback

Published May 8, 2025

Reviews

[Kathleen Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Northern Bank Job: The Heist and How They Got Away with It by Glenn Patterson is a compelling nonfiction account of the infamous 2004 Northern Bank robbery in Belfast, where £26.5 million was stolen in what remains the largest cash heist in British and Irish history. Patterson delves deep into the events, the victims, the suspected perpetrators, and the ongoing mysteries surrounding the case.
The book offers a detailed narrative of the heist, including the coercion of bank employees whose families were held hostage, and the sophisticated planning that led authorities to suspect the involvement of the Irish Republican Army (IRA)—an allegation the IRA denied. Despite extensive investigations, no one has been convicted for the robbery, leaving many questions unanswered.
This book is a very interesting read and should appeal to readers interested in true crime, political intrigue, and the complexities of post-conflict Northern Ireland. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for providing me with a free advance copy to preview. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Simon Mee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine, I think - the writing is solid enough and I do appreciate the linkage with Northern Irish politics. It just feels like the archetype of a story "running on rails" with limited dramatic tension.

The only weirdness was Chris having size 6 shoes despite being five foot 8. Does he have hooves?

[Mancman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was gripped by the recounting of the robbery, but then found the aftermath a tough read.
The politics is convoluted and repetitive, I wish I’d realised what I was getting into much earlier.
It’s well written, and if you like your paramilitary history then you’ll love it.

[Mairia Cahill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is witty, wry, chilling, engaging and unputdownable. Glenn's writing style is addictive and his attention to detail is superb. Read the book.

[Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. I remember it on the news at the time and has facts I never knew. I guess we will never know exactly what happened that day or in the years afterwards.

[Aaron McCormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this fascinating, having actually loved through it, it was great to learn the ins and outs of the whole thing.

[Kitty McManus · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read from start to finish.

[Laura A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off great, then once the ‘robbery’ part was over, it was almost impossible to keep up with, with irrelevant details, people, murders etc being mentioned. All the details blurred into one. I also did not enjoy the slightly sarcastic tone of the book.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

the start about the robbery was very good. what follows in the book seemed a bit of a stretch.

[Cathy Grieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great non-fiction read about the now infamous Northern Bank robbery in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Really fluently written, the author used a range of source material, including extensive notes taken from court cases around this crime - the largest bank raid on the island of Ireland.
The debate focussed on who or which organisation had the ability, the know-how, the manpower and above all the audacity to pull off this type of heist. Was it or was it not a paramilitary act?
This book is easily digestible, fact laden and comes to a methodical conclusion - but read it and see if it all points in just one direction.
A good read, very engaging, a page turner.
Recommend

[Rob Sedgwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are 3 parts to this book: the crime, the aftermath, and the trial. The first part is excellent, and suits the fast-paced, cinematic style of the text. As the book progresses, though, it becomes a labyrinthine investigation into the Republican underworld. There are far too many threads to follow, too much detail. I'd forgotten all about the robbery and its aftermath, and the shambles of the trial; it was good to read this account, which has the benefit of being written with the perspective that time allows.

[Brian McNally · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author strangely keeps trying to insert himself as a character in the story where he is not one. He keeps writing about his screenplay idea for the robbery for no apparent reason. He also can’t hide his own biases and a lot of his journalism is just spouting anti sinn fein nonsense.

[Mel Hynds]

Absolutely gripping. Huge political insight.

[Oonagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

[Clive Kells · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down right up until the robbery ended. The last quarter or so felt like loosely related NI political filler unfortunately.

[Tom Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to read by the beach

[Helen · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF