3 charged in bank theft make court appearances

? Three Britons made their first court appearances Thursday on charges stemming from last month’s elaborate heist of $92 million from a cash depot in southeast London – one of the world’s largest bank thefts.

A fourth person also has been charged in connection with the robbery, police said Thursday. Jetmir Bucpapa, who police said was 24 years old and unemployed, was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery. He is to appear in court this morning.

The two men and a woman who appeared at Maidstone Magistrates Court were the first charged with involvement in the robbery of the Securitas Cash Management Ltd. warehouse in Tonbridge, 30 miles southeast of London.

Thieves took 53 million pounds, the equivalent of $92 million, during the night of Feb. 21-22.

Car salesman John Fowler, 57, was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to rob the warehouse and with kidnapping cash depot manager Colin Dixon, his wife, Lynn, and their 9-year-old son.

Stuart Royle, 47, was charged with conspiracy to rob, while Kim Shackleton, 39, was charged with handling stolen goods.