Video: Securitas cash hidden in Cyprus?

The gang involved in Britain’s biggest cash robbery were starting long jail sentences today for taking part in what the trial judge described as “organised banditry for uniquely high stakes”.

Five men were convicted on Monday of kidnap, robbery and firearms offences for taking part in the robbery, which netted £53 million from the Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent in February 2006. They had kidnapped Colin Dixon, the depot manager, his wife and young child at gunpoint and used them to gain entry to the heavily fortified site. Only £21 million has so far been recovered by police.

Four of the men who took part in stealing a “king’s ransom” stood in the dock as Mr Justice Penry-Davey sentenced each one of them in turn. The fifth defendant, Stuart Royle, refused to come to the Old Bailey to hear his fate.

Royle, 49, Jetmir Bucpapa, 26, Lea Rusha, 49, and Roger Coutts, 30, were all sentenced to 30 years in prison with the recommendation that they serve at least half their sentence. They were all said by the judge to be a risk to the public.

Emir Hysenaj, 28, who was the inside man, was jailed for 20 years and must serve at least ten. Bucpapa and Hysenaj were recommended for deportation at the end of their sentences.

Mr Justice Penry-Davey said: “The raid was meticulously prepared and ruthlessly executed. From an early stage the plot included the kidnapping and holding hostage of Mr Dixon, his wife and young child.”

Once inside the gang “coldly and violently threatened and trussed up” the workers before they were locked into cages and abandoned.

A packed courtroom was told that many of those threatened are still suffering long-term effects, especially Mr Dixon and his family.

“Confronted by armed, hooded men it’s unsurprising that they were terrified and that some of the continue to suffer long-term effects, some of a life-changing nature, particularly in the case of the Dixon family, who have lost their home, their work, their friends, having effectively, because of your conduct, to start their lives again.

“Mission accomplished the gang, including four of you, fled into the night with some £53 million in cash, the amount constrained only by the capacity of the vehicle.

“This was organised banditry for uniquely high stakes and following a complex and thorough investigation and a long trial you now stand to be sentenced for your part.”

The judge said that Rusha, Royle, Bucpapa and Coutts all posed a risk of further offending and sentenced them for the public protection. The time that they have already spent in custody will be taken off their sentence.

The five men were convicted at the end of a seven-month Old Bailey trial that cost more than £30 million.

After the sentencing Detective Superintendent Paul Gladstone said: “There’s been 140 years of imprisonment served up there today. I wouldn’t like to be in their position.

“After 15 years they are going to have to satisfy the judiciary and the system that they are no longer a danger to the public. I’m not convinced that they are ever going to be able to do that.”

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