Updated: 22 May 2026 15:29 BST |
3 min read
On Sunday, 20 March, 1966, it was discovered that the famous Jules Rimet World Cup trophy had been stolen from an exhibition in London.
Ahead of the 1966 World Cup, which was due to take place in England, the Football Association received the trophy from FIFA and, aside from a few publicity events, it was held in the association’s headquarters at Lancaster Gate.
In February of 1966, Stanley Gibbons secured permission to display the World Cup trophy at its Stampex exhibition the following month, on the strict condition that it remained under constant guard. Despite its official value being set at £3,000, the trophy was insured for £30,000.
The exhibition opened on 19 March 1966 at Westminster Central Hall, where the World Cup quickly became the main attraction. Security arrangements included two uniformed officers on duty at all times, with two additional plainclothes officers present during the day. When the exhibition was open, extra guards were stationed beside the display cabinet, although the trophy was never continuously monitored.
The next day, two guards doing rounds discovered that thieves had broken in through a padlocked door and broken the display case holding the Jules Rimet trophy in order to steal it.
The theft became worldwide news, especially since the World Cup was due to kick-off in just a few short months.
The next day, FA chairman Joe Mears received a mysterious phone call from an unidentified man, who claimed that a package would arrive for him at Chelsea Football Club the following day. Instead, the parcel was delivered to Mears’ home. Inside was the detachable top lining of the World Cup trophy as proof of the theft, accompanied by a ransom note demanding £150,000 in £1 and £5 notes.
If the ransom was not paid, the thieves threatened to completely melt down the gold trophy before the start of the World Cup.
After a cat-and-mouse sting operation in Battersea Park, a man calling himself “Jackson”, real name Edward Betchley, was arrested on suspicion of stealing the trophy, though he claimed he was just a middleman and that the real perpetrator was a man who referred to himself as “The Pole” who was never found.
Pickles to the rescue
Thankfully for the FA, FIFA and football fans around the world, an unlikely hero emerged in the form of Pickles the dog.
Pickles, a black and white collie, was walking with his owner David Corbett on 27 March in the Beulah Hill district of southeast London when he noticed a mysterious package inside a hedge against Corbett’s home.
The dog approached the package and started sniffing it which alerted Corbett to its presence, before he opened it up and discovered it was the Jules Rimet trophy.
An FA delegate confirmed the trophy was real and Corbett and Pickles especially found themselves in the public eye.
Corbett was rewarded £6,000 for the recovery and even attended the celebration party after England won the World Cup.
Pickles went on to appear in movies like The Spy with a Cold Nose, while there was a dramatic retelling of the story made in 2006 by ITV – The Dog Who Won the World Cup.
If it wasn’t for Pickles, we may not have seen one of the most important visuals in the history of the World Cup, Bobby Moore holding the trophy aloft in that famous red shirt after England won the tournament.
It may not be the real Jules Rimet trophy, but you can get the next best thing thanks to LEGO© who have a souvenir of the current trophy that you can buy.
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is set to be the biggest tournament in the competition’s history, and LEGO© is tapping into football fever with a new range designed for supporters, collectors and younger fans alike.
