Cash machine explosions gang jailed for more than 40 years

Jenson Grant, 32, of Pennington Terrace, Little Horton, Bradford, Lee Rubery, 46, of no fixed abode, and Philip Halliday, 34, of Fenby Gardens, Bradford, admitted charges of conspiracy to burgle, steal, and cause explosions.

Lee Walker, 32, of Swain House Crescent, Bradford, was found guilty of the offences after a trial.

Prosecutor James Bourne-Arton told Bradford Crown Court that the men were part of a conspiracy which “meticulously and professionally targeted ATM machines at post offices across West Yorkshire.”

The group would remove the front of ATMs before pumping a mixture of oxygen and acetylene into the dispensers and lighting a fuse, aimed at causing an explosion that would allow access to the cash cassettes housed inside.

The group aimed to cover their tracks by using stolen getaway vehicles, acquired in burglaries in the days leading up to the raids.

The court heard that Grant, Rubery, and Walker were involved in the first set of burglaries, which took place in December 2015.

Mr Bourne-Arton said that just after 4am on December 9, an ATM at the Wrose post office on Wrose Road, Shipley, was blown up, with £9,340 taken.

A few hours later, a Mitsubishi used in the raid, which had been stolen from an address in Holmfirth three days earlier, was found torched in Undercliffe, with four empty cash cassettes recovered from the vehicle.

The gang were said to have then carried out two raids, which ultimately failed, in the early hours of December 20.

CCTV footage at the Greenthorpe post office in Pudsey showed three men attempting to fix explosives to the ATM, before then “hacking at it with saws” before triggering an alarm.

An hour later, footage showed a group of men, two of whom were wearing “santa hats”, trying to force pipes into the cash machine at the Bierley post office in Hambledon Avenue, Bierley.

The gang fled, but when police arrived, cylinders of oxygen and acetylene were found at the scene with the gas still turned on.

In both incidents, the group used an Audi A5, stolen from Littleborough in Greater Manchester on December 17.

Mr Bourne-Arton said that on the early hours of Christmas Day, three men were seen putting cash cassettes into a Ford Focus, stolen from the Swain House area of Bradford two days earlier, after a raid on the Girlington post office on Kensington Street, Girlington.

The store’s ATM had been blown up, causing £30,000 worth of damage to the building, and allowing the men to steal £120,810 in cash.

The court was told that Grant and Halliday were then involved in two further incidents in April 2016, including a failed attempt to blow up the ATM at a post office in Almondbury, Huddersfield, on April 22.

A week later, on April 29, the pair were part of a group who planned and executed an explosion at the post office on Coach Road, Baildon, which caused major damage to the building and the residential flats above, forcing one tenant to move out.

The gang stole £61,605 from the ATM, with police later recovering items including empty cash cassettes, a hammer, and a crowbar from a stolen Audi used in the raid.

The court was also that Grant had stolen items including gas regulators and canisters from a business in Bradford, which, along with fuses, angle grinders, and petrol, were later found at his girlfriend’s home.

Mr Bourne-Arton said the men were all linked to the conspiracy by phone records and DNA found on items left at the various crime scenes.

He said that in total, those involved had stolen £191,755 from the ATMs and taken £33,000 worth of cars.

The court heard that Grant was on-licence from prison for an eight-year conspiracy to rob sentence at the time of the offending, having also recently served a sentence for cannabis production.

Stephen Uttley, defending, said his client accepted being part of the conspiracy but denied being present at some of the raids.

Khadim Al’Hassan, for Rubery, who was given a four-and-a-half year sentence for burglary in February 2016, said his client had got involved in the conspiracy as “it was an opportunity to fund his drug addiction.”

Andrew Walker, for Walker, who was on-licence from prison for a robbery sentence imposed in 2012 at the time of the offences, said his client was “not a leader, more a trusted lieutenant” in the gang.

Andrew Stranex, for Halliday, who was also on-licence for a robbery sentence at the time of the raids, said his client had only been involved in the last two incidents, and had got involved due to an “out of control” cocaine habit.

Describing the post office raids, Judge David Hatton QC said: “These were carefully planned, and the premises obviously targeted.

“A dangerous combination of oxygen and acetylene was introduced into cash machines in uncontrolled quantities and ignited to cause explosions and provide access to the cash cassettes within. The potential for serious injury was considerable, and very substantial damage inevitable.”

Of the conspiracy, he said: “You all had full knowledge of what was to take place. It was carefully considered and planned.

“Each of you played a role. You acted together as a gang, each enthusiastically pursuing a dangerous course of action.”

Walker was jailed for 13 years, Rubery for 11 years and eight months, Grant for ten-and-a-half years, and Halliday for eight years and one month.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Ian Bryar, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “These men stole and plotted to steal from cash machines using explosives, without a care for any damage or injuries they might have caused in doing so.

“They are clearly dangerous criminals and we welcome the sentences they have received.

“We hope this sends a warning to others that organised crime is not welcome in West Yorkshire and we will continue to work closely with partners here and across the country to disrupt their activities and bring them to justice.”