3 – Securitas Depot Robbery in 2006 ($83 Million)
This heist remains the largest cash robbery in UK criminal history, and occurred on February 22, 2006, in Kent. It involved more planning than the first two entries on the list, as a gang abducted Colin Dixon, the manager of the depot, at approximately 6:30 p.m. on February 21. Dixon was driving his car on the A249 when he was suddenly pulled over by what he believed was an unmarked police car. The fake policeman ordered Dixon into the car where he was handcuffed by other men in the vehicle.
The unfortunate Dixon was then transferred to a farm in Staplehurst, Kent, and at the same time, his wife and son were being held hostage by men in fake police uniforms at their home. The gang brought the woman and child to the farm and Dixon was told in no uncertain terms what would happen if he didn’t comply with their orders. At 1:00 a.m., all three members of the Dixon family were taken to the Securitas Depot, and the manager let the thieves in to begin their theft. The gang left the Depot at 2:45 a.m. and apparently left up to $200 million behind because they couldn’t fit anymore into their truck. The staff at the Depot were tied up and thrown in locked cages along with the Dixon family.
For such a seemingly intricate plot, it was woefully executed. As well as leaving DNA evidence on items used in the heist, a phone call recording of the plot was uncovered, and important information was entrusted to a member of the public. The gang foolishly recruited Michelle Hogg, a policeman’s daughter, as their makeup artist to create disguises but she quickly folded during questioning.
Police uncovered evidence at a remarkable speed and made their first arrests the day after the robbery. A total of 36 arrests were made by the end of June 2006, and ringleaders such as Lee Murray and Paul Allen received substantial sentences for their roles in the crime. Ultimately, too many people knew what was happening, so this robbery was doomed to fail.