It was the biggest cash robbery in British criminal history, although the gang ironically left behind £154 million ($201 million) because they did not have room for it in their truck.
Philip Havers QC and @AdamWagner1 successful in High Court Securitas Raid repatriation Judicial Review https://t.co/1adRhpB5CY
— 1 Crown Office Row (@1CrownOfficeRow) 27 July 2017
In 2008 five members of the gang were jailed at the Old Bailey in London.
Jetmir Bucpapa, who was originally from Albania, was jailed for a minimum of 15 years for kidnap, robbery and possession of a firearm. Bucpapa, one of two Albanians in the gang, had been a key player in the robbery. His friend Ermir Hysenaj was the "inside man", who had key information about the Securitas depot.
Bucpapa was known during the trial as "Hi Viz", because of the high visibility jacket he wore throughout the raid, which was caught on CCTV.
He was given the role of guarding the wife and child of depot manager Colin Dixon before and during the robbery.
He told Lynn Dixon and her child to kneel on the floor of a lorry, and pointed a gun at their heads. She was convinced they were going to die.
"I thought we had served our purpose and that was it," Mrs. Dixon told the trial.
In his sentencing remarks, the trial judge Mr. Justice Penry-Davey described the raid as "meticulously prepared and ruthlessly executed."
"Confronted by armed hooded men, it is unsurprising that they were terrified and that some of them continue to suffer long term effects, some of a life changing nature, particularly in the cases of the Dixon family who have lost their home, their work, their friends; having effectively, because of your conduct, to start their lives again," Mr. Justice Penry-Davey had said.
Kent Police, who investigated the robbery, had objected to Bucpapa's transfer.
"They believe that Mr Bucpapa has links to organized crime in Albania which could undermine the Albanian authorities' ability to detain him," the High Court heard.
In 2013 Britain and Albania signed a Prisoner Transfer Agreement, which allowed Albanian criminals in British jails to return to serve the remainder of their sentence closer to home.
But in August 2016 the then Justice Secretary, Liz Truss, refused to allow Bucpapa to serve out his sentence in an Albanian jail because he feared he would be released early.
She said she believed he could be released three months and nine months earlier than if he was in a British jail.
He was the only one of 18 Albanians who applied, who was turned down for a transfer.
Bucpapa's lawyers appealed and this week the High Court has ruled the minister had acted "irrationally" and unlawfully.
Her decision has now been quashed and Bucpapa, who is now 35, could now be sent home if the new Justice Secretary, David Lidington, agrees.
The gang's mastermind, cagefighter Lee Murray, fled to Morocco and could not be extradited because he was considered to be a Moroccan national.
In 2010 he was jailed for 10 years for his role in the raid.
Of the £53 million (US$69 million) which was stolen, only £21 million ($27 million) was ever recovered.
One of those involved in the raid has never been caught.
He was named in court as Keyinde Patterson, who is thought to have fled to the Caribbean.
