Robbers who threatened police jailed

Dominic Gill (22), of Middleton, who died in an unrelated road accident on Christmas Day 2006, along with Anthony Morrison (28), of no fixed address, and Justin Schofield (22), of Highview Walk, Blackley were suspected of being linked to a number of stolen cars kept in a car park in Blackley.

Morrison and Schofield have now been convicted and sentenced to six years at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, after admitting conspiracy to rob and making threats to kill.

On December 13, a blue Ford Focus was stolen from Chadderton with the victim, a 76-year-old man, hit in the face and threatened with a machete by a group of men in balaclavas.

Two days later, a silver-coloured Ford Mondeo was stolen in New Moston.

The Focus was seen around Manchester with three men inside watching cash and transit deliveries, while both vehicles followed a security van into Atherton on December 19.

Believing an attack was imminent, the guards abandoned. the delivery but a short time later the same thing happened with another security van.

The Mondeo was later seen following a third van in Oldham but drove off at speed when police tried to stop it. When officers caught up and approached the car, the masked offenders got out with machetes and threatened a police officer.

He bravely pursued them, along with back-up, and Schofield was arrested after he was found hiding in a garden with keys to the stolen Focus on him.

Morrison was later arrested at the Premier Travel Inn, Oldham. Hundreds of pounds and his passport recovered.

Det Insp Rick Jackson, from the robbery unit, said: “This was an intelligence-led operation that led to Greater Manchester Police preventing three cash-in-transit robberies that could have resulted in someone being seriously hurt as well as a lot of money being stolen.

“We are increasingly successful at targeting these gangs and they must realise that the chances of being caught are now significantly higher.

“GMP is committed to safeguarding people in the security industry from these vicious criminals who do not hesitate to use violence to achieve their aims.”

Mr Jackson added that through Operation Vanguard, a joint plan with the security industry, police are tackling violent commercial crime with tactics including armed escorts for security vans, patrol cars observing such vans they spot, covert patrols, CCTV surveillance and air support.