Gang jailed over Shropshire armed robberies

The gang ambushed G4S couriers making cash deliveries and collections at banks and fast-food restaurants in robberies carried out "with military precision", Shrewsbury Crown Court was told.

On each occasion a robber armed with a hammer and knife – and wearing either a hood or full-face crash helmet – forced the courier to drop the cash box being carried when the daylight ambush occurred. The gang escaped by motorcycle or car, often switching to a second getaway vehicle after a short distance to throw off pursuers.

Aidan Durant, Craig Perry and Lee Tonks were jailed for their roles in the raids when they appeared at court yesterday.

The raids were carried out across the West Midlands between June 13 2013 and April 29 last year.

In Shropshire, a cash box containing £25,000 was stolen by a masked raider armed with a hammer outside Barclay's Bank in Market Place, Shifnal, on August 13 2013. On September 19, £18,300 was taken outside McDonald's in Telford Town Centre and on October 8 a motorcycle pillion passenger wielding a knife grabbed £25,000 at Lloyd's Bank in Shifnal.

On October 24, £5,466 was taken from outside McDonald's on Forge Retail Park in Telford.

The raids were planned by Durant who started plotting the crime spree just days after being freed from a jail sentence for robbery, the court heard.

The sites for the raids had been carefully checked by the robbers in advance, the court was told. At least one of the cars used was torched after a robbery while others were soaked in bleach to destroy forensic clues before being dumped.

Durant used a fresh mobile phone on each raid in a bid to stop his calls being monitored, the court was told at yesterday's hearing.

One unlucky G4S courier was twice targeted by the gang on their deliveries, another was hit over the helmet with a hammer and a third struck on the arm during the cash snatches, it was said.

The mental trauma caused has since forced one of those who suffered to quit their job.

Raids were also carried out in Wolverhampton, Stafford, Penkridge, Kidderminster and Cannock.

Durant, 30, of Emerson Road, The Scotlands, Wolverhampton, admitted conspiracy to rob involving 10 raids and was jailed for 14 years. He had been freed on licence from a four year, five month sentence for conspiracy to rob two days before starting to plot the crime spree and lived in luxury on the proceeds.

He blew £6,500 on liposuction and also bought a fleet of cars including a Rover, Vauxhall Astra and two vans.

His 29-year-old former partner, Sally Hipkins from North Road, Tipton, laundered cash from the raids, knowing where the money came from but was not personally involved in the robberies. She also drove a BMW and admitted using £15,500 of the stolen cash to buy another car.

She was given a two year prison sentence, suspended for two years, and placed under the supervision of probation for 18 months.

Perry, 33, of Wentworth Road, Bushbury, admitted conspiracy to rob involving seven of the raids and was locked up for 12 years.

He also torched one of the getaway cars and took his wife's Volvo without permission on a raid, the court was told.

Tonks, 34, from Dryden Road, The Scotlands, admitted aiding an offender by being involved with the arson of the getaway car and the aggravated taking of the Volvo. He was sent to prison for 18 months.

Judge Peter Barrie said: "This was a sustained conspiracy and not everybody involved is before the court.

"It was carefully planned, resulted in the stealing of a large amount of money and caused a great deal of fright."

Det Sgt Sean Brennan, part of the five-strong team of West Mercia and Staffordshire officers who hunted the gang, said last night: "We had very little evidence on those involved when the offences were looked at individually. That is why we could not charge them earlier.