Three men jailed for cash machine raids

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Wednesday, 18 April 2018 06:15

Three men have been jailed for a combined total of more than 30 years for breaking into 23 cash machines in three months.

Alfie Adams, 39, Charlie Smith, 32, and John Doran, 20, used gas canisters to break into the machines, before stealing their contents.

One of their raids took place at the Co-op store in Rockfield Road, Monmouth, at approximately 4am on 8th November, 2017.

The thieves, who were wearing balaclava masks, also used disc cutters to cut through shutters and a sledge hammer to smash through a glass window. They made off in a white BMW.

DC Ian Griggs led Gwent Police's investigation, assisted by Major Incident Team Support Officer Andy Smith.

They linked in with other police forces as similar offences were recorded in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire between August and November 2017. In total, more than £1.5m was stolen.

DI Rob Jenkins said: "As a result of this working between forces, Leicestershire Police was able to charge Smith, Doran and Adams with eight counts of burglary and three counts of causing explosions to endanger life.

"This was excellent proactive work, worthy of acknowledgement, working nationally to disrupt an organised criminal gang impacting on Gwent."

The trio pleaded guilty to these offences on Wednesday 28th March at Leicester Crown Court. Last week, Adams, of Wigan, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, Doran, of Gildersome near Leeds, was imprisoned for nine years, and Smith, of Lutterworth, was sentenced to 10 years and seven months behind bars.