Chris Bowles represented Britain at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and at the peak of his career was a European and British champion. He also taught at Tonbridge public school and is a senior coach at a Tonbridge judo club in Kent.

Yesterday detectives refused to confirm that Mr Bowles was the man arrested on Saturday after a white Ford Transit van was found at a hotel in Ashford with two plastic bags containing £1.3 million, weapons, balaclavas and body armour.

At home in Hildenborough, near Tonbridge, Mr Bowles, 49, said: “I can’t say anything for legal reasons. I’m aware why you’re here and what my name has been linked to, but I can’t discuss it with you at all. I have been advised not to.”

Mr Bowles, 49, was a junior European champion in the 1970s, a senior European silver medallist and came fifth in Moscow. Two years ago he was graded a sixth dan black belt by the British Judo Association.

He is recognised for his work coaching thousands of children and his club organises novelty birthday parties for children, such as Sumo suit parties and Peugal poles, a type of stick used in Gladiators, and giant glove boxing.

Mr Bowles is also said to be a freelance nightclub doorman who has been hired as a security guard at a number of pubs and clubs in the South East.

As he spoke yesterday, police were still searching the home of a friend, Lea Rusha, a kick-boxing expert, at Southborough, near Tunbridge Wells.

The kick-boxer, now in his middle 30s, has fought in professional fights across the South East, and also stars in a brutal DVD fight called Extreme Fighters. Neighbours say he has not been seen at his home for some days.

He trained at a club in Tonbridge and in 1999 reached the finals of a UK competition using a form of kick-boxing known as “vale tudo” or no rules. In 1994 he went to the Philippines representing England in a specialised martial art called Eskrima and won a gold medal. The sport involves a 28- inch baton. He later became the English number two in the vale tudo style.

One martial arts expert said that Mr Bowles and Mr Rusha were friends despite their different disciplines. “Martial arts is a close-knit community what-ever you do. Everyone knows everybody.” He said that Mr Rusha came from a large close-knit family. The friend, who has known him for nearly 20 years, said: “I am surprised. I have known Lea since he was a young man.”

Kent police said that the final audit by Securitas officials at their Tonbridge depot had revealed a total loss of £53 million, which includes £25 million that belonged to the Bank of England.

Adrian Leppard, the assistant chief constable of Kent in overall command of the investigation, said that four men had been arrested during raids over the weekend and yesterday.

Two of the men were held at Tankerton, near Whitstable, on Sunday, when a planned operation ended with police shooting out the tyres of a BMW.

Another two men were arrested in a vehicle at Greenwich, South London, yesterday morning. A fifth was arrested and later released as police launched a series of armed raids across Kent.

Mr Leppard said ten addresses had been searched during raids and material was being examined by police but he refused to give any further details because the investigations, or the safety of officers, could be compromised.

However he said that the investigation was “fast paced” and he was very pleased with progress..

Police are also reported to have recovered a van and a fork-lift truck close to where 14 steel cages holding the banknotes was dumped. The fork-lift may have been used to move the cages.

Detectives now have seven vehicles they believe were used in the robbery but yesterday Mr Leppard said police are still searching for the white 7.7 tonne Renault lorry which was driven in to the depot early last Wednesday morning by the gang.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Third of Muslim students back killings
• Curfew tames feral yobs of Cornwall
• £3,000-a-month drug free abroad