Police arrest 5 over 2 mln pound depot raid

LONDON, Dec 12 (Reuters) Five men were arrested early today in connection with a raid that netted the robbers nearly 2 million pounds when a stolen skip lorry was rammed into a NatWest depot in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said teams of officers, supported by customs and revenue staff, raided several homes in the Coventry area.

Detectives are still appealing for information about the October 18 raid in which the thieves wore masks or crash helmets and high visibility jackets as they drove the lorry into the building.

No weapons were used and no one was hurt.

The haul of nearly 2 million pounds marked it as one of Britain's biggest cash thefts but it pales into insignificance with the 53 million pounds haul from a raid in Kent in February.

That money was stolen in an armed raid on a Securitas depot in Tonbridge by a gang who posed as police officers.

Nearly 20 million pounds has been recovered and several people have been charged over the heist.

Reuters SHB VV1603