Fugitive Briton faces US court
Eddie Maher, known as 'Fast Eddie', was arrested in Ozark were he was working for a cable company (AP)
A British man wanted by police for 19 years after a £1m security van robbery has appeared in a US court.
Eddie Maher, 56, appeared before the US District Court in Missouri wearing a green prison jumpsuit, ankle shackles and handcuffs. The restraints were removed for the hearing.
The preliminary and detention hearing, relating to a charge of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, lasted about three minutes.
Judge James C England recognised the affidavit in the federal complaint and an immigration detainer.
Maher was represented by a public defender as he could not afford his own lawyer. He will appear again at a later date.
Maher, known as "Fast Eddie" was arrested in Ozark, were he was working for a cable company.
He vanished after the theft of a Securicor van, which he was driving, in Felixstowe in 1993.
He is believed to have been working under a false name, the name of his brother, Michael, and had regularly moved around the US.
The alleged crime happened outside Lloyds Bank in Hamilton Road, Felixstowe.
It is thought a colleague made a delivery to the bank while Maher waited outside in the vehicle. The van vanished and was later found empty on the seafront.
