Shraman Mitra
The United Kingdom witnessed one of its worst robberies on February 21, 2006, when an armed gang forced their way into a Securitas money depot in Tonbridge, Kent, before making off with 53 million pounds in cash. Apart from using disguises and arming themselves to the teeth, the gang also kidnapped the depot’s general manager, Colin Dixon, and his family, in order to ensure complete cooperation.
Showtime’s ‘Catching Lightning’ chronicles the shocking heist and focuses on the police investigation that brought the perpetrators to justice. Naturally, Jetmir Bucpapa, one of the accomplices in the robbery, was also produced in court.
Who is Jetmir Bucpapa?
A native of Albania, Jetmir Bucpapa came to the United Kingdom in the 1990s while searching for a better life. He claimed that he initially worked two jobs and also sold cannabis on the side, which allowed him to be financially secure. With time, Jetmir even purchased a land rover and became accustomed to a luxurious lifestyle. Interestingly, even before the heist, Jetmir was acquainted with quite a few of his accomplices, including Lea Rusha, whom he got to know while working at a pizza place with the latter’s girlfriend.
On the other hand, Jetmir was also familiar with fellow accomplice Stuart Royle, as he had driven the latter around the city on multiple occasions. According to reports, Jetmir was pretty crucial to the whole heist as his house was the closest to the Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent. Moreover, he was the only one who was well acquainted with Ermir Hysenaj, another Albanian who worked at the depot and worked as the gang’s inside man.
In fact, sources claimed Jetmir even drove Ermir to the depot a few days before the heist so that the latter could stake the place out. However, readers should note that Jetmir later denied doing so while testifying in court. Nevertheless, the gang decided to hit the Securitas depot on February 21, 2006, and Jetmir was in charge of holding general manager Colin Dixon’s wife and child hostage. He picked up his targets from the Dixon home and drove them to the depot before forcing them into the truck that was supposed to carry the stolen money.
Later, reports and CCTV camera footage chronicled how Jermir held a gun to Colin’s family and even forced them to kneel on the floor of the vehicle while the robbers loaded the truck with 53 million pounds worth of cash. Although the robbery appeared to be successful initially, the police received a significant breakthrough when they came across Michelle Hogg, who confessed to helping the perpetrators disguise themselves before the hit. Moreover, Michelle identified Jetmir to the police, although the suspect insisted he had visited a car auction before returning back home on the day of the heist.
Unfortunately, Jetmir had no one to corroborate his alibi, and the truth came to light once phone records showed he was in constant contact with the other perpetrators while the Securitas depot was being robbed. On top of it, CCTV footage showed a robber wearing a fluorescent tabard throughout the robbery, and the police soon found a similar tabard with Jetmir’s name on it. That, coupled with his links to the other perpetrators and Colin’s wife, Lynn, recognizing his thick Albanian accent, soon led to Jetmit’s arrest.
Jetmir Bucpapa Was Released From Jail in 2020
When presented in court, Jetmir Bucpapa pled not guilty but was eventually convicted of conspiracy to rob and kidnap, as well as possessing a firearm. As a result, the judge sentenced him to 15 years to life in prison in 2008 and asked him to return his share of the stolen money to the government. Like most of his accomplices, Jetmir paid back just 1 pound of the money they had stolen before citing poverty. Moreover, in 2017, he put in a request to finish his sentence in his home country of Albania, as it would allow him to get out of prison early.
Interestingly, the judge initially denied his petition, but Jetmir was ultimately released from the UK prison and deported to Albania in August 2020. Moreover, reports claim he divorced his first wife, Rebecca, while still behind bars and married Albanian Native Besiana Dushina, on January 1, 2021, in a lavish ceremony in Tropojë, Albania. Hence, from the looks of it, Jetmir currently resides in Albania, while a 2021 report mentioned that the Albanian government did not receive any instruction from the United Kingdom to conduct further investigations into the Securitas robber.
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