ARMED robbers who stole £53 million from the a Securitas depot in Kent knew the names of all their victims, a court heard.

The balaclava-clad gang addressed their hostages by their first names, the then manager of the depot, Colin Dixon, told the Old Bailey.

They also asked them if they wanted water to drink.

Mr Dixon was giving evidence against seven men and one woman who are all charged in connection with the robbery at the Securitas depot in Vale Road, Tonbridge, in February 2006.

Mr Dixon’s wife and child were among the terrified hostages during the raid.

Michael Boardman, defending the alleged inside man Ermir Hysenaj who worked at the depot, said the information the robbers had about the building could have come from any number of people who worked, or had worked, on the site.

Cross examining Mr Dixon, he said: “There were a large number of individuals who had been employed by Securitas and left during the time that you were manager. Some had left on good terms and some had left on extremely bad terms.”

Mr Dixon replied: “Yes.”

Mr Boardman told the trial that one former employee had been caught with money stuffed inside his underpants in an attempt to steal it.

He said several questions the robbers asked Mr Dixon about the location of panic alarms and how to open a fire exit door would have been known to employees in 2006 from their induction course.

The court heard that several copies of a plan of the building were made between October 2005 and February 2006 for external companies to carry out work including builders, electricians and CCTV engineers.

Mr Boardman said: “If there was an inside man then it certainly wasn’t Ermir Hysenaj .”

The case continues.