Birmingham Armed Robbers Jailed For Bank Raids in the City

5 Failed Attempts

As technology improves you could assume criminals like armed robbers were a dying breed.

But this story demonstrates that is far from the case.

even with improvements In security makes it harder but robbers get more creative in their attempts to make it rich quick.

Elaborate schemes are concieved that require multiple team members, vehicles and weapons to pull off.

As long as money exists to be stolen, there will be someone willing to risk it all to get paid.

Gang angle grind into Mecca Bingo to steal cash machine

Gang Could Be Violent

This week Four men from Birmingham have been jailed for a spree of cashpoint raids around the city.

Ultimately the series of raids which culminated in them throwing a hammer at police officers as they tried to catch them.

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The gang smashed vans into banks and building societies, causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage.

The made their escape in spare cars they bought to the scenes.

Building a Picture

Birmingham police launched a major investigation and over time uncovered a lot of evidence against the gang.

During the course of the investigation they seized mobile phone and property records.

p>Ringleader Chad Lee was arrested in a dawn raid during lockdown last May

The robber began coughing, spitting and claiming he had CoVID and threatened to ‘be sick’ on officers.

This was caught on body cam and he was given extra time in prison for the offence.

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Time and Patience

The determined gangs spree started in October, 2018.

Police say that is when a stolen van was driven into the side of the Nationwide building society on Coventry Road, Small Heath.

They had a second van to take the cash machine away with them, but failed and sped away in a high-powered Audi.

The spree continued:

Ram Raid Routine

On March 1, 2019 − They tied straps tied to a cash machine at Lloyds Bank, Bordesley Green, but fled in their Audi when police arrived.

That was followed on 4 March – The gang dragged a cash machine from Mecca Bingo in Kingstanding. 

And then 12 March – Stolen van used in a failed attempt to steal a cash machine from the Drink Buster on Bromford Drive, Bromford.

Finally May 10 – A stolen van was rammed into the Acfold Road Post Office in Handsworth.

Car key Burglary

The spree reached a new level on 8 August, 2019 when the group used two stolen vans and an Audi taken in a car key burglary in Sutton Coldfield

The purpose of the theft was to ram the car into Birchfield Road Post Office.

As officers arrived, the gang threw a hammer at them and sped off in an Audi.

This demonstrated they were willing to use violence if required.

DC Max Gebhard said:

“This gang caused thousands of pounds of damage and major disruption for businesses around Birmingham, with no regard for the safety of anyone around at the time.

“They were willing to use violence when confronted by officers, and thankfully they’re now behind bars for a considerable amount of time.”

Last Friday (4 June), they were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court.

Multiple Offences

Gang Leader Chad Lee, aged 30, of Erdington, jailed for 10 years and two months for drugs offences and burglary and assaulting an emergency worker.

He was convicted of spitting and coughed and claimed he had CoVID during his arrest.

Bragging Rights

Corey Jones, aged 30, of Minstead Road, Erdington, was jailed for five years and three months.

Police recovered a text message from him where he bragged to a girlfriend about the Lloyds Bank raid and saying she’d be able to see it on the internet.

Armed robber Ishmael Farquharson, aged 30, of  Yardley, jailed for three years and two months.

Phone evidence

Dealer Reece Proffitt, aged 24, of Round Road, Erdington was jailed for six years for drugs offences and burglary.

We found footage he’d recorded on his mobile phone of one of the ATM’s he’d filmed on a reconnaissance visit.

Sentencing

Members Lee, Proffitt and Jones all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, whilst Farquharson pleaded guilty to theft and raiding the Birchfield Road Post office.

Proffitt and Lee were also convicted of conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs

That convictions was from evidence being obtained on two mobile phones seized from Reece Proffitt that detailed the pairs involvement in dealing.

Lee played a leading role in the supply and was paid more than £25,000 into his bank account in a year by his customers.

Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings are now under way to claw back criminal cash from the gang.

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