Two of the masterminds behind Britain's largest ever cash robbery could walk free from prison exactly two decades after the multi-million-pound heist that shocked the nation.
The 2006 Tonbridge Raid: A Nation's Biggest Robbery
Lea Rusha and Stuart Royle were key members of the seven-strong armed gang that executed a meticulously planned raid on the Securitas cash depot in Tonbridge, Kent, in February 2006. The criminals, wearing balaclavas and armed with weapons including a Skorpion sub-machine gun, kidnapped depot manager Colin Dixon, his wife, and their eight-year-old son in the hours leading up to the attack.
After gaining access to the vault, the gang held 14 terrified employees at gunpoint, bound them, and forced Dixon to help load banknotes into a 7.5-tonne lorry. The scale of the haul was so vast that the vehicle was insufficient, forcing the robbers to leave an estimated £150 million more in cash behind. In total, they made off with £53,116,760 in Bank of England notes.
Parole Prospects and Unpaid Millions
Despite orders to repay their ill-gotten gains, both Rusha and Royle are now being considered for parole. Lea Rusha, 48, has a Parole Board hearing scheduled for 6 March 2026. Stuart Royle has been referred and is awaiting a date. Their potential release comes after other gang members have already left prison.
Critics argue that justice remains incomplete, as a vast portion of the stolen money is still missing, feared to have been reinvested in criminal enterprises. To date, only around £21 million has been recovered. Rusha has repaid a mere £1 of his confiscation order, while Royle has paid back just £50,000 of a £2 million order.
Where Did the Money Go?
Author Howard Sounes, who wrote the definitive account 'Heist', told Metro that the bulk of the cash was quickly divided and laundered abroad via black market professionals. "There was never any realistic prospect of getting that money back," he stated. Some funds were invested in Moroccan real estate by other gang members, but once converted into other currencies, the trail went cold.
The aftermath of the robbery saw the gang members receive collective sentences totalling 100 years. Other figures involved include cage fighter Paul Allen, who survived a shooting in 2019, and Lee Murray, now serving a 25-year sentence in Morocco for drug dealing. With Rusha having been previously released and recalled, the Parole Board's upcoming decision will determine if the final two architects of the historic heist return to the streets.
