Man jailed for £53m Securitas raid up for parole

One of the gang jailed over the £53m Securitas depot robbery is attending a parole hearing, the Parole Board has confirmed.

Lea Rusha was convicted in 2008 for his role in the kidnapping and robbery in Tonbridge two years earlier - Britain's biggest cash raid.

Rusha was one of the men who posed as a police officer during the abduction of depot manager Colin Dixon and his family.

The Parole Board said Friday's hearing was being held in private and the panel has 14 days to issue its decision.

Seven men have been jailed over the raid.

Rusha, Stuart Royle, Jetmir Bucpapa, Roger Coutts and Emir Hysenaj were convicted at the main Old Bailey trial in 2008 on kidnap, robbery and firearms charges.

Four of them received indeterminate sentences and ordered to serve at least 15 years, and Hysenaj was told to serve a minimum 10 years of a 20-year term.

Lee Murray was later jailed in Morocco and Paul Allen was jailed in the UK.

The Securitas depot raid saw a gang steal £53m - which was as much cash as they could fit in their truck - after kidnapping Mr Dixon, his wife and young child. Some £32m has never been recovered.

Last month marked 20 years since the raid. Kent's chief constable Tim Smith made a fresh appeal for information on the anniversary and said if someone should still face justice, he would want to see it happen.

He also said he hoped part of the haul could still be traced, and he believes at least one gang member is still unaccounted for.

Rusha was one of three who paid a nominal £1 confiscation order, after the court case.

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