UK police release images of vault raided in jewelry district heist

This is a an undated image made available on Wednesday April 22, 2015 by the Metropolitan Police of the vault door and a hole leading into the vault, left, at the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit company in London which was robbed over the Easter weekend. The gang dressed in fluorescent vests and hard hats, robbed the high-security storage facility in London's diamond district. (Metropolitan Police via AP) (The Associated Press)

This is a an undated image made available on Wednesday April 22, 2015 by the Metropolitan Police of the tunnel leading into the vault at the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit company which was robbed over the Easter weekend. The gang dressed in fluorescent vests and hard hats, robbed the high-security storage facility in London's diamond district. (Metropolitan Police via AP) (The Associated Press)

Police in Britain have released images showing the aftermath of the audacious raid on safety deposit boxes inside London's jewelry district.

Police say the gang gained access by climbing down an elevator shaft. The images released Wednesday show how the gang then drilled through 2 meter-thick (6-foot thick) concrete walls to get to the vault. The burglars then forced open some 70 safety deposit boxes in the heist in Hatton Garden, a street that is home to many jewelry and diamond businesses.

Police found the vault covered with debris and strewn with power tools, including an angle grinder, concrete drills and crowbars.

Police have not put an estimate on how much was stolen.

The robbery took place over the long Easter weekend and was not detected until businesses reopened.