£40 million heist in UK

LONDON – The manhunt was on yesterday for an armed gang who disguised themselves as police officers and stole what could be a record 40 million pounds (around N$428 million) from a security depot in southeast England after abducting its manager and his family.

Police said the perpetrators were “highly sophisticated” and had planned their audacious raid in detail, subjecting their hostages to a “terrifying ordeal”. The Bank of England said that at least 25 million pounds (37 million euros, US$44 million) had been taken.But unconfirmed reports said that the final figure could be up to 40 million pounds – which would make it, by far, the biggest cash heist in British history.The manager of the Securitas main cash depot in Tonbridge, southeast of London, was pulled over while driving on Tuesday evening by what he believed was an unmarked police car, Kent Police said.They said a man wearing a high-visibility jacket and a police-style hat got out of the vehicle, which had flashing blue lights on it.The manager, believing they were genuine police officers, got into their car, was handcuffed, threatened at gunpoint and told to co-operate or his family would be hurt.Two other robbers disguised as police abducted his wife and son from their home, telling them the manager had been involved in an accident.Six men, some armed with handguns, then threatened and tied up around 15 staff at the depot of Securitas, a company providing security guards, alarm systems, and cash transportation services.The gang loaded the stolen money into a large white delivery van before driving off in the early hours of Wednesday.The shocked but uninjured staff activated an alarm around an hour later.The manager, his wife and son were also unhurt.An equally daring raid at the Belfast headquarters of the Northern Bank in December 2004 netted 26,5 million pounds, making it the biggest cash theft in British and Irish history at that time.The Daily Mail newspaper said yesterday that closed-circuit television footage from the Channel Tunnel in Kent was being checked to see if the gang fled to France.A former senior Kent Police officer, who did not want to be named, was quoted as saying that the gang might have had no idea they would net so much cash in used notes and bitten off more than they can chew.The Bank of England said that its governor had asked Wednesday for a review of the security arrangements for the storage of banknotes.”There is no cost at all to the Bank (of England) or the taxpayer” resulting from the heist, said a spokeswoman for the central bank.”We have already been reimbursed by Securitas for the initial estimate of 25 million and any further sum will be reimbursed to the bank as soon as the amount is known,” she said.Securitas in turn is to claim the amount from its insurers.- Nampa-AFPThe Bank of England said that at least 25 million pounds (37 million euros, US$44 million) had been taken.But unconfirmed reports said that the final figure could be up to 40 million pounds – which would make it, by far, the biggest cash heist in British history.The manager of the Securitas main cash depot in Tonbridge, southeast of London, was pulled over while driving on Tuesday evening by what he believed was an unmarked police car, Kent Police said.They said a man wearing a high-visibility jacket and a police-style hat got out of the vehicle, which had flashing blue lights on it.The manager, believing they were genuine police officers, got into their car, was handcuffed, threatened at gunpoint and told to co-operate or his family would be hurt.Two other robbers disguised as police abducted his wife and son from their home, telling them the manager had been involved in an accident.Six men, some armed with handguns, then threatened and tied up around 15 staff at the depot of Securitas, a company providing security guards, alarm systems, and cash transportation services.The gang loaded the stolen money into a large white delivery van before driving off in the early hours of Wednesday.The shocked but uninjured staff activated an alarm around an hour later.The manager, his wife and son were also unhurt.An equally daring raid at the Belfast headquarters of the Northern Bank in December 2004 netted 26,5 million pounds, making it the biggest cash theft in British and Irish history at that time.The Daily Mail newspaper said yesterday that closed-circuit television footage from the Channel Tunnel in Kent was being checked to see if the gang fled to France.A former senior Kent Police officer, who did not want to be named, was quoted as saying that the gang might have had no idea they would net so much cash in used notes and bitten off more than they can chew.The Bank of England said that its governor had asked Wednesday for a review of the security arrangements for the storage of banknotes.”There is no cost at all to the Bank (of England) or the taxpayer” resulting from the heist, said a spokeswoman for the central bank.”We have already been reimbursed by Securitas for the initial estimate of 25 million and any further sum will be reimbursed to the bank as soon as the amount is known,” she said.Securitas in turn is to claim the amount from its insurers.- Nampa-AFP