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Securitas robbers await sentence Five jailed for £53m cash robbery
(about 2 hours later)
Five men are due to be sentenced on kidnap, robbery and firearms charges for their part in the £53m raid on the Securitas depot in Kent. Five men found guilty of being involved in the £53m raid on the Securitas depot in Kent have been given minimum jail terms of between 10 and 15 years.
During the raid in Tonbridge in 2006, depot manager Colin Dixon and his family were kidnapped at gunpoint by men posing as police officers.During the raid in Tonbridge in 2006, depot manager Colin Dixon and his family were kidnapped at gunpoint by men posing as police officers.
The judge warned the men they faced "very substantial" sentences.
Since the raid police have recovered £21m of the stolen cash but the remaining £32m is still missing.Since the raid police have recovered £21m of the stolen cash but the remaining £32m is still missing.
Those found guilty were: Stuart Royle, 49, of Allen Street, Maidstone, Kent; Jetmir Bucpapa, 26, of Hadlow Road, Tonbridge; garage owner Roger Coutts, 30, of The Green, Welling, south-east London; Lea Rusha, 35, of Lambersart Close, Southborough, Kent; Emir Hysenaj, aged 28, of New Road, Crowborough, East Sussex. The five were convicted on kidnap, robbery and firearms charges.
This was a callous and highly dangerous crime Roger Coe-Salazar, prosecutor href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7210000/newsid_7214400?redirect=7214421.stm&news=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1&nbwm=1&bbram=1" onClick="javascript:newsi.utils.av.launch({el:this});return false;">Heist family's ordeal Those ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years were: Stuart Royle, 49, of Allen Street, Maidstone, Kent; Jetmir Bucpapa, 26, of Hadlow Road, Tonbridge; garage owner Roger Coutts, 30, of The Green, Welling, south-east London; and Lea Rusha, 35, of Lambersart Close, Southborough, Kent.
All four were given indeterminate sentences.
'Organised banditry'
Emir Hysenaj, aged 28, of New Road, Crowborough, East Sussex, who worked at the depot, was handed a 20-year term and was told he would serve a minimum of 10 years.
Trial judge Mr Justice Penry-Davey recommended Bucpapa and Hysenaj, both Albanian nationals, be deported at the end of their jail terms.
He told the gang: "This was organised banditry for uniquely high stakes."
Those inside (the depot) were violently threatened and trussed up before being locked into cages and abandoned Mr Justice Penry-Davey Heist family's ordeal
And the judge said the raid was "meticulously prepared" and "ruthlessly executed".
He said: "From an early stage the plot included the kidnapping and holding hostage of Colin Dixon, his wife and young child.
"You required somebody who was able, under threat of lethal violence to himself, his wife and young child, to get access to that depot and unimaginable quantities of cash.
"Once you were inside, heavily disguised and heavily armed, all those inside going about their lawful business were violently threatened and trussed up before being locked into cages and abandoned."
Two other men - John Fowler, 59, of Staplehurst, and Keith Borer, 54, both from Maidstone, Kent - were cleared of involvement in the robbery in a trial which lasted seven months.Two other men - John Fowler, 59, of Staplehurst, and Keith Borer, 54, both from Maidstone, Kent - were cleared of involvement in the robbery in a trial which lasted seven months.
'Nothing romantic'
The men had all denied conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to possess firearms.The men had all denied conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to possess firearms.
The gang wore prosthetic disguises, normally used by actors, which were made by hairdresser Michelle Hogg.The gang wore prosthetic disguises, normally used by actors, which were made by hairdresser Michelle Hogg.
She was initially charged by police but later agreed to become a prosecution witness.She was initially charged by police but later agreed to become a prosecution witness.
Police said there was evidence of the robbery being planned as far back as July 2005.Police said there was evidence of the robbery being planned as far back as July 2005.
CCTV cameras captured armed robbers holding the Dixon family and 14 members of the depot staff hostage as they loaded cash into the back of a 7.5-tonne lorry.CCTV cameras captured armed robbers holding the Dixon family and 14 members of the depot staff hostage as they loaded cash into the back of a 7.5-tonne lorry.
Cash storage cages were used to imprison the hostages.Cash storage cages were used to imprison the hostages.
The gang left behind £153m because no more could be fitted into their lorry.The gang left behind £153m because no more could be fitted into their lorry.
Prosecutor Sir John Nutting told jurors that the robbers were inspired by the lure of "luxury, ease and idleness" and were prepared to target the "innocent and vulnerable" to achieve it.Prosecutor Sir John Nutting told jurors that the robbers were inspired by the lure of "luxury, ease and idleness" and were prepared to target the "innocent and vulnerable" to achieve it.
Speaking after the jury returned its verdicts, Roger Coe-Salazar, the chief crown prosecutor for Kent, said: "When you have a case of this magnitude it's easy for it to be romanticised like Ocean's 12 as a victimless crime.Speaking after the jury returned its verdicts, Roger Coe-Salazar, the chief crown prosecutor for Kent, said: "When you have a case of this magnitude it's easy for it to be romanticised like Ocean's 12 as a victimless crime.
"There is nothing romantic about a child being held at gunpoint by a masked man. This was a callous and highly dangerous crime.""There is nothing romantic about a child being held at gunpoint by a masked man. This was a callous and highly dangerous crime."
A large quantity of the missing money is thought to be in northern Cyprus and Morocco, in cash and assets.A large quantity of the missing money is thought to be in northern Cyprus and Morocco, in cash and assets.