Both men joined a small group of Latvian agitators living in north London;[15] according to other members of the group, the pair had criminal records and had joined as a cover for the robberies they carried out.[17] Lepidus was employed, briefly, at a furniture factory, while Helfeld took a job at the Schnurmann rubber factory in Tottenham.[18] Helfeld refused to give his name when he joined the company, so he was listed on the time sheets as "Elephant" in reference to his bulk.[19] Situated on the corner of Tottenham High Road and Chesnut Road, the factory sat opposite Tottenham Police Station, which was under the control of the Metropolitan Police.[20][21]