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Kent Securitas raid: It's payback time

Securitas raid still
Securitas raid still
Secruitas depot, Tonbridge
Secruitas depot, Tonbridge

Six men convicted of the biggest cash robbery in UK history have been ordered to pay back almost £3.5m to the Crown.

Cash from the 2006 Securitas raid in Tonbridge will go into a crime-fighting fund set up by central Government.

A armed gang relieved the cash depot of more than £50m after kidnapping the family of an employee.

A hearing at Woolwich Crown Court ordered the men to pay back the money within six months or face further time in jail.

Detective Inspector Mark Fairhurst said: "Six men were convicted of their part in a robbery which involved the kidnap of a woman and child and keeping them and the Securitas employees hostage at gun point.

"It is important to ensure that those involved in this horrific crime do not benefit financially.'

In October last year the last of the men to be convicted, Paul Allen, admitted his part in the conspiracy to rob the depot and also accepted that he had benefited by £1.9 million. Judge Mr Justice Penry-Davey accepted that assets to the value of £1.231 million were available to be confiscated.

Another man, Stuart Royle, claimed that the funds benefited from the robbery were beyond his control or reach. However, he was ordered to pay £2m to the Crown.

The Judge also ordered that there was enough evidence to show that almost £20m found at a lock-up in Southborough, a Transit van at Ashford International and ENR Cars of Welling was the proceeds which Lea Rusha, Jetmir Bucpapa and Roger Coutts had obtained from the robbery.

He went on to state that it would be disproportionate to include them within the allocation of unrecovered money from the robbery and made the three men subject of nominal confiscation orders.

Five of the men were found guilty following a trial in 2008 and Paul Allen, pleaded guilty in October last year. Together they will serve more than 150 years.

Police have been trying to extradite a further man from Morocco, with no success thus far.

CONVICTED:

Stuart John Royle, aged 49, a car salesman, of Allen Street, Maidstone, who was arrested on 26 February 2006 and charged on 1 March 2006 with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to possess a firearm.

Stuart Royle, Securitas Raid
Stuart Royle, Securitas Raid

Jetmir Bucpapa, a 26-year-old unemployed man of Hadlow Road, Tonbridge, who was arrested on 27 February 2006 and charged on 2 March 2006 with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to possess a firearm.

Jetmir Bucpapa, Securitas Raid
Jetmir Bucpapa, Securitas Raid

Lea John Rusha, a roofer, aged 35, from Lambersart Close, Tunbridge Wells, who was arrested on 27 February 2006 and charged on 3 March 2006 with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to possess a firearm.

Lea Rusha, Securitas robbery convict
Lea Rusha, Securitas robbery convict

Ermir Hysenaj, 28, a post office worker, of New Road, Crowborough, East Sussex, who was arrested on 11 April 2006. He was charged on the same day with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit robbery, and conspiracy to possess a firearm.

Emir Hysenaj, Securitas raid
Emir Hysenaj, Securitas raid

Roger Coutts, 30, garage owner, of The Green, Welling, who was arrested on 26 June 2006 and charged on 27 June 2006 with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to possess a firearm.

Roger Coutts, Securitas raid
Roger Coutts, Securitas raid

Paul Allen, 31 was sentenced to 18 years at Woolwich Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to possess a firearm.

Paul Allen, Securitas raid
Paul Allen, Securitas raid
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