Stuart Royle, a former car salesman involved in the notorious £53 million Securitas robbery in 2006, has been denied parole. The Parole Board concluded at a hearing on April 26 that releasing Royle would not be safe for public protection. Royle, 65, was jailed indefinitely in 2008, with a minimum term of 15 years, for his role in what remains Britain’s biggest cash raid.
During the heist, members of the gang, some disguised as police officers, kidnapped the manager of the Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent, along with his wife and child. This was part of a scheme to gain access to the depot and the substantial sums it held. Although authorities later recovered £21 million of the stolen money, a significant £32 million remains unaccounted for.
In addition to his initial sentence, Royle received an additional six-year term in 2012 after he failed to comply with a £2 million confiscation order. The Parole Board’s recent report also indicated that it would not recommend Royle for transfer to an open prison, citing ongoing concerns over his potential release.
This decision underscores the enduring repercussions of the heist and the stringent measures being enforced to prevent any further risk posed by those involved in such significant criminal activities. The case continues to echo in the annals of British criminal history, highlighting both the audacity of the crime and the persistent efforts of law enforcement to uphold justice.
