09 February 2012

Fugitive British highjacker caught by US immigration authorities

A British man, believed to be responsible for a 1993 highjack, has been arrested in American by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

US visa

Maher had been on the run for almost 20 years when he was apprehended by ICE officials.

Edward John Maher, 56, is suspected of stealing £1 million from an armoured van in January 1993; he is currently being held by US immigration authorities "pending removal proceedings" according to an ICE spokesperson.

Authorities here in the UK have accused Maher, then employed as a security guard, of driving off with the armoured van while his colleague made a delivery. It is believed that Maher abandoned the van after transferring the money to a car and boarding a US bound flight; he hadn't been seen since.

Police in Ozark, Missouri informed the FBI about a 'possible fugitive' which led the FBI to begin an investigation.

"We were led to believe that the individual in question could possibly be Eddie Maher, a fugitive from the United Kingdom. We reached out and contacted ICE," said Bridgette Patton, a spokesperson for the FBI.

Maher was allegedly working for a local cable company in Missouri, although it isn't known how long he had been there.


The American Visa Bureau is an independent migration consultancy specialising in helping people with their ESTA visa application.

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