Liverpool’s Notorious Jelly Gang

At the age of just seventeen, Charlie Seiga led a gang of older men into doing daring safe-blowing robberies up and down the country using high explosives (gelignite). This story tells, in intricate detail, all about the methods used in safe blowing and how professional these men were. They became known as "The Jelly Gang."

At that time in the 1950s, safe blowing was regarded as the pinnacle of excellence in the criminal hierarchy. It demanded a superior knowledge and technique, and required meticulous planning to the highest degree. Expertise in the way explosives worked was paramount. Although on some occasions it was a dangerous game, with near death experiences, disaster and injuries in some of the moves that the Jelly Gang pulled off.

While they carried out these audacious and daring raids they managed to evade capture by always being one step ahead of the police. Police forces throughout the country were well aware of the Jelly Gang and each force wanted to be the one to capture them.

However, it was inevitable that their luck would only last for so long.

In 1958, Charlie Seiga was standing in the dock of the Crown Court flanked on both sides by the older members of his gang. The judge, directing his words towards him was quoted as saying: "He is like a young lion who had tasted his first blood." Charlie made legal history by becoming the youngest and first safe blower in England.

This is also the true story of the characters involved, how they became what they were and how they lived, some retiring and living comfortably and others sadly not so lucky.