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Extradition sought for ‘Fast Eddie’Posted on Fri, Feb. 10, 2012 11:25 PM
Extradition sought for ‘Fast Eddie’
British authorities may have better luck getting back the 1993 heist suspect than recovering any money.
British police announced Friday they have begun the process of seeking the extradition of a man arrested Wednesday in Missouri, a suspect in a $1.6 million robbery in 1993.
But if they’re wondering what happened to the money, U.S. court records show that their suspect, Edward John Maher, likely doesn’t have it.
Federal authorities arrested the former security guard in Ozark, Mo., and charged him with illegally possessing firearms. British authorities have sought him for 19 years in the daring theft of 1 million British pounds — in coins and five- and 10-pound notes — from an armored van during a bank delivery in the town of Felixstowe.
“Fast Eddie,” as the English media nicknamed him, remained in custody Friday without bond in the Greene County Jail, awaiting a federal court hearing on Feb. 22.
Maher admitted to federal agents that he was “wanted for a crime that he had committed in England” and had lived in the United States since at least 1998 under his brother’s name, Michael Maher.
A posting Friday on the website of the Suffolk Constabulary in England noted that investigators there were reviewing the evidence gathered in the initial investigation. The case then will be presented to prosecutors there, police said.
“Once the (prosecutors have) received this, Suffolk Constabulary will seek their approval to get authority through the courts to sanction the extradition process,” the notice explained.
Although British police may get their man, they probably won’t get their money.
Records from federal court in Springfield reveal that Maher filed for bankruptcy in November 2010, brought down by credit card and installment loan debt. Maher reported $34,350 in bills and $3,655 in assets.
The picture of Maher’s life painted by the bankruptcy records is hardly lavish. It depicts a steady worker who rented a musical instrument for a 13-year-old son and provided his family with health insurance, including vision and dental.
Maher rented an apartment, drove a 13-year-old sport utility vehicle and owned three televisions, a computer printer, a DVD player and a digital camera. He had modest savings in a 401k retirement fund.
Maher paid $55 a month to the Internal Revenue Service to cover $3,148.53 in unpaid taxes from 2008.
He paid for all this with a $12.43-an-hour job as a broadband technician for a local cable company. He often got overtime, according to income statements.
A judge discharged Maher’s debts in May.
Maher’s family reluctantly opened the door to their townhome Thursday to speak with an Associated Press reporter.
“He’s an amazing dad,” said his adult son, Lee King, 23. “He cares for us, provides for us and takes care of us. He’s been to every baseball game, football game. Everything we’ve ever done in our lives, he’s been there for us.”
Maher’s wife, Deborah Brett, who also goes by the name of Deborah King, said the family had lived in Ozark about 41/2 years.
She said if Maher is sent back to Britain, family members will go there with him.
“He’s a wonderful father and a wonderful husband. He’s never hurt anybody. Never caused any harm to anybody,” she said, comforting their younger son as they both fought back tears.
Other court records suggested further turmoil in the Maher household, all of which came to a head this week.
In January, someone — court records do not say who — filed for an order of protection against Maher’s adult son. That order became final on Wednesday, ordering Lee King not to “abuse stalk or molest” whomever filed for the order.
King, who works as a sales manager at a Springfield car dealership, could not be reached for comment Friday. The telephone at his home played a recorded message saying the number was temporarily out of service. His wife did not return a phone message.
On Monday, the landlord of a property in Nixa, Mo., where King and his wife, Jessica King, 25, once lived filed suit against the couple, Maher and his wife for unpaid rent.
That day, Nixa Police Officer Dustin Tackitt answered a call and found Lee and Jessica King arguing in a driveway, according to police reports.
Tackitt determined that Lee King was wanted on two warrants, one for driving without proof of insurance and one for driving while his license had been suspended.
He arrested Lee King and booked him into the Nixa Police Department.
Maher soon appeared to pay the $199.50 bond for his son, and at the same time complained that Jessica King had stolen one of his guns.
A Nixa officer said something that made Maher think police knew who he was.
Lee King later told authorities that his father was “irate” on the way of the police station, and threatened harm to whomever tipped off police about his identity.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read more here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Extradition sought for ‘Fast Eddie’
British authorities may have better luck getting back the 1993 heist suspect than recovering any money.
British police announced Friday they have begun the process of seeking the extradition of a man arrested Wednesday in Missouri, a suspect in a $1.6 million robbery in 1993.
But if they’re wondering what happened to the money, U.S. court records show that their suspect, Edward John Maher, likely doesn’t have it.
Federal authorities arrested the former security guard in Ozark, Mo., and charged him with illegally possessing firearms. British authorities have sought him for 19 years in the daring theft of 1 million British pounds — in coins and five- and 10-pound notes — from an armored van during a bank delivery in the town of Felixstowe.
“Fast Eddie,” as the English media nicknamed him, remained in custody Friday without bond in the Greene County Jail, awaiting a federal court hearing on Feb. 22.
Maher admitted to federal agents that he was “wanted for a crime that he had committed in England” and had lived in the United States since at least 1998 under his brother’s name, Michael Maher.
A posting Friday on the website of the Suffolk Constabulary in England noted that investigators there were reviewing the evidence gathered in the initial investigation. The case then will be presented to prosecutors there, police said.
“Once the (prosecutors have) received this, Suffolk Constabulary will seek their approval to get authority through the courts to sanction the extradition process,” the notice explained.
Although British police may get their man, they probably won’t get their money.
Records from federal court in Springfield reveal that Maher filed for bankruptcy in November 2010, brought down by credit card and installment loan debt. Maher reported $34,350 in bills and $3,655 in assets.
The picture of Maher’s life painted by the bankruptcy records is hardly lavish. It depicts a steady worker who rented a musical instrument for a 13-year-old son and provided his family with health insurance, including vision and dental.
Maher rented an apartment, drove a 13-year-old sport utility vehicle and owned three televisions, a computer printer, a DVD player and a digital camera. He had modest savings in a 401k retirement fund.
Maher paid $55 a month to the Internal Revenue Service to cover $3,148.53 in unpaid taxes from 2008.
He paid for all this with a $12.43-an-hour job as a broadband technician for a local cable company. He often got overtime, according to income statements.
A judge discharged Maher’s debts in May.
Maher’s family reluctantly opened the door to their townhome Thursday to speak with an Associated Press reporter.
“He’s an amazing dad,” said his adult son, Lee King, 23. “He cares for us, provides for us and takes care of us. He’s been to every baseball game, football game. Everything we’ve ever done in our lives, he’s been there for us.”
Maher’s wife, Deborah Brett, who also goes by the name of Deborah King, said the family had lived in Ozark about 41/2 years.
She said if Maher is sent back to Britain, family members will go there with him.
“He’s a wonderful father and a wonderful husband. He’s never hurt anybody. Never caused any harm to anybody,” she said, comforting their younger son as they both fought back tears.
Other court records suggested further turmoil in the Maher household, all of which came to a head this week.
In January, someone — court records do not say who — filed for an order of protection against Maher’s adult son. That order became final on Wednesday, ordering Lee King not to “abuse stalk or molest” whomever filed for the order.
King, who works as a sales manager at a Springfield car dealership, could not be reached for comment Friday. The telephone at his home played a recorded message saying the number was temporarily out of service. His wife did not return a phone message.
On Monday, the landlord of a property in Nixa, Mo., where King and his wife, Jessica King, 25, once lived filed suit against the couple, Maher and his wife for unpaid rent.
That day, Nixa Police Officer Dustin Tackitt answered a call and found Lee and Jessica King arguing in a driveway, according to police reports.
Tackitt determined that Lee King was wanted on two warrants, one for driving without proof of insurance and one for driving while his license had been suspended.
He arrested Lee King and booked him into the Nixa Police Department.
Maher soon appeared to pay the $199.50 bond for his son, and at the same time complained that Jessica King had stolen one of his guns.
A Nixa officer said something that made Maher think police knew who he was.
Lee King later told authorities that his father was “irate” on the way of the police station, and threatened harm to whomever tipped off police about his identity.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read more here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
