A daring heist unfolded as a gang of robbers kidnapped the manager of the Securitas depot and his family, cleverly using the situation to gain access to the Tonbridge facility.
Once inside, the armed criminals restrained the depot’s employees and attempted to load as much cash as possible into a waiting truck.
However, their plans hit a snag when they struggled to operate the machinery needed to move the hefty pallets of cash.
Ultimately, a hostage was coerced at gunpoint to maneuver a power lifter to assist in the theft.
The thieves successfully fled with £53 million in banknotes, a sum that translates to $176 million in today’s currency.
Ironically, they had to abandon an additional £154 million, as they lacked the means to transport the remaining cash.
Within days, the first of the robbers were arrested by police.
It did not take long before most of the suspects were caught.
Seven people were convicted over the crime, including several MMA fighters who had met at the gym.
Only about £20 million has been recovered, and two suspects remain at large.
When they got inside, they instead found three tonnes of pure gold.
The gold was being stored in the warehouse overnight before being shipped to Hong Kong the next day.
What was intended to be a quick smash-and-grab robbery became a complex operation. The robbers had to seek more transport because they couldn’t fit everything in their getaway van.
The group’s haul of gold, cash, travellers’ cheques and precious stones ended up amounting to an estimated $588 million in today’s money.
