3 Suspects Charged In $92M Heist

Three people charged in connection with the world's largest known peacetime robbery appeared in a British court Thursday morning, while police announced their 14th arrest in the case.

The two men and a woman who appeared at Maidstone Magistrates Court were the first to be charged with involvement in the theft of 53 million pounds, or about 92 million dollars, at a cash depot southeast of London last week.

Car salesman John Fowler, 57, was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to rob the Securitas Cash Management Ltd. warehouse in Tonbridge, 30 miles southeast of London. He was also charged with kidnapping cash depot manager Colin Dixon, his wife, Lynn, and their 9-year-old son.

An additional charge of handling stolen goods was also filed.

A second man, Stuart Royle, 47, was charged with conspiracy to rob and Kim Shackelton, a 39-year-old woman, was charged with handling stolen goods.

All three were ordered to appear in court again on March 13.

Police said Thursday they had arrested another man on suspicion of joining in a robbery conspiracy.

Fowler owns a farm near Tonbridge that has been the focus of intensive police searches. Police have refused to confirm TV reports that a substantial amount of money was found at the farm.

A British network speculated that police were investigating whether the farm was the place where the robbers held Dixon and his family.

Staff went back to work at the cash depot Wednesday for the first time since the robbery, however the 14 employees held hostage by the robbers were not to return until "they and their counselors decide the time is right," Securitas spokesman Carl Courtney said.