Police seize van in probe of massive bank heist

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Cumbersome cash
The robbers will have a difficult time laundering or converting such a large amount of cash, said British expert Peter Lilley.

One option would be to take the cash to a country with looser monetary regulations where it could be put in offshore accounts or invested, he said. “Physical money possesses greater risk than electronic money or even gold,” Lilley said.

The depot, a single-floored, windowless building, is near the center of Tonbridge. It is surrounded by six-foot high steel fencing, and security cameras cover every entrance. Steel traps are in place to prevent unwanted vehicles from entering the compound. There are no signs to indicate the building stores large amounts of money.

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Major bank heists around the world
1. $900 million in U.S. bills and as much as $100 million worth of euros — Iraq Central Bank, Iraq, March 2003. The thefts took place at the beginning of the U.S. invasion and were blamed on Saddam Hussein’s family.
2. $70 million — Central Bank in Fortaleza, Brazil. Theft occurred during weekend of Aug. 6-8, 2005.
3. $65 million — Knightsbridge Safe Deposit Center, London, July 12, 1987.
4. $50 million — Northern Bank, Belfast, Ireland; Dec. 20, 2004. Widely blamed on the Irish Republican Army.
5. $43.5 million — Securitas company cash center at Tonbridge in Kent county, England. The Bank of England said on Feb. 22, 2006, that the robbery occurred overnight.
6. $37.5 million in gold — Brinks Mat Ltd., Heathrow Airport, London, Nov. 25, 1983.