One of the men accused of carrying out the Hatton Garden heist today invited the judge to tea at Belmarsh during a court appearance.
A "Dad's Army" of nine men face allegations over the Easter raid in which losses are thought to have run in "excess of £10 million".
Today Terry Perkins, 67, Daniel Jones, 58, and Hugh Doyle, 48, all of Enfield, north London; William Lincoln, 59, of Bethnal Green, east London; and John Collins, 74, of Islington, north London, all appeared via videolink from HMP Belmarsh at Southwark Crown Court.
Also appearing were Brian Reader, 76, and Paul Reader, 50, both of Dartford Road, Dartford, Kent; Carl Wood, 58, of Elderbeck Close, Cheshunt, Herts, and taxi driver John Harbinson, 42, from Benfleet in Essex, who face the same charge of conspiracy to burgle between April 1 and April 7, this year.
They are all also charged with conspiracy to conceal, disguise, convert or transfer criminal property between, namely a quantity of jewellery and other items, between April 1 and May 19.
As the men waited more than 15 minutes for the videolink to connect properly, Perkins asked the clerk: "Can you ask the judge and yourselves to come down to Belmarsh so we can have tea together?"
The raid over the Easter weekend saw thieves break into the vault at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company in London's jewellery quarter.
Once inside, the thieves ransacked 73 safety deposit boxes, taking millions of pounds-worth of items.
The nine men, who have been remanded in custody, are due to next appear at court on September 4 for a plea hearing.
Additional reporting by PA
