Two new arrests in UK cash depot robbery

Police investigating the robbery of up to stg£50 million (€73

Police investigating the robbery of up to stg£50 million (€73.5 million) from a security depot in Britain have arrested two men as part of the inquiry into what is thought to be Britain's biggest ever cash heist.

The men, aged 33 and 55, were held in the Maidstone area of southern England on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery. Police gave no further details.

Six robbers, posing as police officers, kidnapped Colin Dixon the manager of a security depot in Tonbridge, Kent, his wife Lynn and young son Craig to carry out the massive raid in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

"I'm really pleased with the way this is developing," Kent's Assistant Chief Constable Adrian Leppard told a news conference.

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Mr Dixon also issued a statement today describing what he and his family had endured as the worst night of their lives.

"This horrific experience angers me beyond belief. No one should have to suffer as we have done," Mr Dixon said.

"For criminals to use me is bad enough. But to kidnap my wife and child and put guns against their heads and threaten them with death is something so frightening that words cannot convey them today."

He said his son Craig, who was nine yesterday, was still in deep shock.

"He will carry this for the rest of his life," his statement said. "How dare they do this to a little boy?"

Earlier today, detectives released a new computer generated image of one of the suspected raiders who abducted Lynn Dixon and her son.

He was aged between 45 and 49, with a sickly complexion. He had thick brown hair, which detectives said could have been a wig, and bushy moustache, which also might have been a fake.

It is the second e-fit to be released. Yesterday an image was published of a suspect, about 6ft tall, with a scruffy ginger beard which also might have been false.

Chief Con Leppard said it was possible the same man was being described in both of the e-fits. Detectives are also still studying a white Ford Transit van, found yesterday with a large amount of cash in the car park of a hotel near Ashford International station.

The train station is a hub for trains to Paris and Brussels and is about 45 minutes' drive from Tonbridge.

A detailed forensic analysis of the van was now taking place, Mr Leppard said. "I can confirm that vehicle does have cash in it. We know it's a sizeable amount of cash, we don't know how much at the moment," he added.

Police have recovered a total of four vehicles which they suspect were involved in the raid and these are now being carefully examined by forensic officers. They said three other people arrested as part of the inquiry on Thursday were later released.