"Pure greed" drove heist gang

By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) - Seven men and a woman on trial over the theft of 53 million pounds in the biggest ever robbery were driven by "greed, pure and simple", a London court heard on Tuesday.

Prosecutors said the record haul was seized by an armed gang in a "terrifying" raid on a Securitas cash depot in Tonbridge, Kent in February last year.

Members of the gang had prepared for the heist by kidnapping the depot manager, Colin Dixon, his wife Lynn and their young child, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

John Fowler, Michelle Hogg, Ermir Hysenaj, Stuart Royle, Lea Rusha, Jetmir Bucpapa and Roger Coutts are all accused of conspiracy to kidnap the Dixons, conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to possess a firearm.

An eighth defendant, Keith Borer, is accused of handling stolen goods -- 6,100 pounds suspected of having been taken from Securitas, which stockpiles cash for banks and large retailers.

All eight deny the charges.

Prosecutor John Nutting told the Old Bailey courtroom -- guarded by two armed police officers -- that the motive for the crime was "greed, pure and simple.

He said the defendants were all motivated by "the prospect of dishonest gain almost beyond the dreams of avarice."