Three men have been jailed following a series of armed robberies targeting cash in transit drivers. In total, the group stole almost £260,000.
Police identified the gang and linked to their crimes by their MO.
Paul Dunn aged 34 from Hulme pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and was jailed for 14 years and three months.
Nathan Kennedy,43, from Trafford pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and was jailed for seven years and seven months.
Liam McCloy,35 from Tameside pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and was jailed for six years.
Each time, the guard was attacked by the masked group with an axe. Whilst they tried to cover their tracks by hiring rental cars and wearing balaclavas, days after each robbery, money was deposited into Dunn’s and Kennedy’s bank account, leaving a paper trail of the crimes and leading detectives straight to their doorsteps.
However, their high of hitting the jackpot was short lived as Dunn gambled away the stolen cash with little success.
On returning from a family holiday, Liam McCloy was arrested on the plane when it landed. After attempting to hide his phone, officers recovered the device which had phone numbers saved that were attributed to Kennedy and Dunn. Further examination of his phone showed he’d tried to delete dozens of incriminating messages between them.
Detective Inspector Rick Castley from GMP Serious Organised Crime Group said: “Working with our partners across the region, we’re determined to stop these types of offences. It is categorically not an easy way to make money, and it isn’t a victimless crime. This was a series of terrifying incidents that saw members of the public, who were simply doing their job, seriously assaulted by masked men armed with weapons and scared for their lives.
“Their robbery spree days are now over following an extensive investigation and I hope these sentencings send out a clear message – no matter how organised and sophisticated a gang may think they are – we will track down offenders and bring them to justice.
