West Midlands cash machine explosion gang sentenced
WMPA gang that blew up a cash machine and carried out a series of car thefts in the West Midlands have been sentenced.
The six men tried to blow up three other machines, including one at a petrol station, causing a total of £80,000 of damage.
Despite the attempts, they failed to steal any money during six raids, Birmingham Crown Court was told.
The raids in Coseley, Pelsall, Bloxwich and Wolverhampton, were staged all in one day, West Midlands Police said.
The single successful blast on 3 October 2018, took place at a shop in Coseley, but the gang failed to get any money.
A further five machines were targeted in the three other locations, in the West Midlands and West Mercia police force areas. where the gang failed in their operation.
Police said that during the first raid on the day, Craig Everitt, 44, and Matthew Stokes, 34, were caught on CCTV attempting to cause an explosion at a free-standing cash machine in Pelsall High Street.
Later the same day, they were behind the explosion at a shop in Daisy Street, Coseley, the force said.
They next struck at a petrol station in Penn, Wolverhampton, and another in Turnberry Road, Bloxwich, before police disrupted their attempts and the men fled the scene.
Det Con Barry Bevan, from West Midlands Police said: "This was a co-ordinated and planned series of thefts across the region.
"CCTV footage showed them repeatedly visiting the offence locations to prepare for the raids, and trying to cause explosions at the ATMs shows how serious they were about stealing a significant quantity of cash."
The men were sentenced on 9 June.
The defendants, who all pleaded guilty, were:
- Craig Everitt, 44, from Daley Road, Wolverhampton, admitted conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle and was sentenced to three years and six months in prison
- Matthew Stokes, 34, from Iron Foundry Drive, Coseley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle and was sentenced to six years and two months in prison
- Mark Harrison, 41, from Stanbury Avenue, Walsall, admitted conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle and was sentenced to four years and two months in prison
- Christopher Rock, 43, from Sydenham Road, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and was given a 20-month suspended sentence with 180 hours unpaid work
- Alexander Blakemore, 31, from Carder Crescent, Wolverhampton, admitted conspiracy to commit burglary and was given an 18-month suspended sentence with 180 hours unpaid work
- Jake Parkes, 25, from Powell Place, Wolverhampton, was convicted of conspiracy to commit burglary was received a 24-month suspended sentence with 200 hours unpaid work
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