Careering down a criminal path
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Crime doesn't pay. And Natural Born Killers hasn't taken over $50m at the box-office. And thousands of people didn't flood into Bethnal Green for the funeral of convicted murderer Ronnie Kray this week.
Now it's the turn of Bruce Reynolds to charge head-long into the spotlight. The lesser-known "mastermind" of the 1963 Great Train Robbery has broken his 30-year silence in the hope of cleaning up (both his act and his bank balance) with the forthcoming publication of his autobiography.
Tonight's Everyman, "Once a Thief" (10.30pm BBC1), follows the fortunes of Reynolds and his family, and ostensibly explores the issue of making crime pay. Is it legitimate for "ex-cons" to sell their stories and profit from their wrongdoings, or does Reynolds have a point when he claims he's providing "a very valuable asset to the community - how will you know about crime unless you read what criminals say?"
To ensure that he says it to his (and his publisher's) best advantage, the latter sends him on a media presentation course, to teach him not to answer questions like "Aren't you just exploiting your crime 30 years down the track [sic]?" with a simple, if honest, "Yes".
The irony is that for all its purported analysis of a very complex subject, "Once a Thief" is itself a 40-minute plug for Reynolds's book, coming to a bookshop near you, very soon.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments