Four jailed for commercial burglaries and robberies
Four men have been jailed following a lengthy investigation into a series of commercial burglaries and robberies across the West Midlands and Shropshire.
The offenders mainly targeted large supermarket chains which included Waitrose in Newport, Somerfield in Stirchley and Barkers in Shifnal. They used stolen high powered performance vehicles with cloned registration plates, always had their faces covered by masks or scarves and attacked the cigarette kiosks before stealing high volumes of cigarettes.
The investigation involved collaboration between West Mercia Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit and Staffordshire Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit, with West Mercia taking the lead on the investigation.
In February 2010 Jason Andrew Davies of Chaffrey Drive, Wolverhampton, Adrian Durant of Emerson Road, Wolverhampton, Wayne Marsh of Whitgreave Avenue, Wolverhampton and Stephen Howell of Carder Crescent, Wolverhampton, were arrested following an initial investigation by Staffordshire Police into a robbery at Morrisons supermarket in Leek in January 2010. As a result of this arrest similar commercial burglaries and robberies were investigated by officers from West Mercia Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit. It was established that several other offences had similar methods to the one at Morrisons in Leek.
Following a lengthy investigation Davies, Durant, Marsh and Howell pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court in June 2010 to the robbery at Morrisons in Leek and Conspiracy to Commit Burglary at various other locations.
Last Friday they appeared at Birmingham Crown Court in front of His Honour Judge Mayo.; Durant was sentenced to four years for the robbery at Morrisons in Leek and three years three months for Conspiracy to Commit Burglary at Tesco in Cradley Heath, Tesco in Stafford, Somerfield at Stirchley in Telford and Barkers newsagent at Shifnal, Shropshire. He was sentenced to an additional five months for handling stolen goods.
Marsh received four years six months for the robbery at Morrisons in Leek and three years three months for Conspiracy to Commit Burglary at Tesco in Cradley Heath, Tesco in Stafford, Somerfield in Stirchley, Telford and Barkers at Shifnal, Shropshire.
Davies received three years six months for the robbery at Morrisons in Leek and three years for Conspiracy to Commit Burglary at Waitrose in Newport, Shropshire, One Stop Shop in Cannock, Somerfield in Stirchley, Telford and Barkers at Shifnal, Shropshire.
Howell received three years six months for the robbery at Morrisons in Leek and three years for Conspiracy to Commit Burglary at Somerfield in Stirchley, Telford and Barkers at Shifnal, Shropshire. All sentences will run concurrently.
Temporary Detective Superintendent Daryn Elton, head of West Mercia Police's Specialist Crime Unit, said: "These men targeted commercial premises in their efforts to steal high quantities of cigarettes. They had no regard for the fear and duress they placed upon staff working at the locations and their recklessness in making good their escape. West Mercia Police have worked closely with colleagues from Staffordshire and West Midlands Police forces and have led the investigation as part of the successful collaborative approach to addressing Serious and Organised Crime across the region, codenamed Operation Viper.”
