A ruthless gang of thugs have been jailed for a total of 61 years for a series of ram-raid cashpoint robberies caught on shocking CCTV.
Larry Barnett, 33, Jamie Lambie, 43, Lee Barnett, 32, and Michael Dunleavy, 37, escaped with around £200,000 during their ‘wild three-month crime spree’.
A court heard banks, supermarkets, convenience stores and a college were targeted by the thieves during their rampage across Birmingham and Solihull, West Midlands.
Included in the evidence was a video showing the gang at Barnett’s house trying to work out how to use a power tool known to have been used in one of their crimes.
Four men including, Larry Barnett, 33, (left) and Jamie Lambie, 43, (right), have been jailed for their part in a series of ram-raid cashpoint robberies across the West Midlands
After stealing cars, the gang would smash their way into buildings before tying straps around freestanding ATMs to rip them free.
They also rammed a police car causing minor injuries to two officers and attacked a security guard where a cash box containing tens of thousands of pounds was stolen.
Dramatic CCTV footage released by police shows the crooks ploughing stolen vehicles through glass windows before making their escape.
The videos, some of which were filmed by members of the public who witnessed the crimes, show the gang causing thousands of pounds of damage.
The gang rammed stolen vehicles into store fronts and then tied straps around freestanding ATMs to rip them free (pictured a Nationwide bank in Shirley)
Bodycam footage recorded by West Midlands Police revealed the moment one of the gang was arrested in Hollywood after officers chased a white van through a large puddle and ran on foot
During their spree, the gang were responsible for 14 offences and escaped with £200,000 and around £40,000 worth of cigarettes (pictured left is Michael Dunleavy who was jailed for nine years and right Lee Barnett who has been sentenced to 12 years in prison)
Other shocking clips reveals how the gang rammed into a police car and were caught using tools which could be matched to those found at one of their homes.
The gang were responsible for 14 offences during the three months, predominately targeting ATMs, but also stole around £40,000 worth of cigarettes.
In total 13 vehicles were stolen during their crime spree, which started in March last year, and were used to carry out the spate of robberies.
Yesterday four members of the gang were caged at Birmingham Crown Court after being found guilty of a string of offences.
Barnett, of Stechford, Birmingham, was jailed for 21 years while Lambie, of Smith’s Wood, Birmingham, was handed a 19 year sentence.
Barnett, of Shard End, Birmingham, was sentenced to 12 years behind bars and Dunleavy, of Balsall Common, Birmingham, was jailed for nine years.
Seven other men were also convicted of being part of the gang and will be sentenced for their involvement next month.
The court was told how the prolific crooks first targeted Solihull College and escaped with £2,000 in cash and caused £20,000 worth of damage.
They also struck at a Co-op, a Tesco Express, Morrisons, often in broad daylight as shocked shoppers looked in in horror.
On May 3 they attacked a security guard with hammers and a crowbar to steal a cash box containing £20,000.
They then attempted to launder the money though bookmakers in Shard End, Birmingham, and Coventry.
The gang also targeted a Nationwide bank in Shirley, West Midlands, during which they rammed a police car head on causing minor injuries to two officers.
Detectives were able to identify the culprits after strapping was recovered from one of the scenes was traced to a local supplier.
Similar strapping was sold only two days previously and a trawl of the CCTV led officers to one of the main gang members, Larry Barnett.
Included in evidence from the police was a video showing the gang at Barnett’s house trying to work out how to use a power tool known to have been used in one of their crimes. Officers later found a disc cutter (pictured) at the scene of a robbery
Police managed to match a disc cutter (pictured) recovered from a robbery to CCTV footage from one of the gang members homes
CCTV showed some members of the gang trying to work out how to make the power tool work while outside Barnett’s house
After a painstaking operation including months of surveillance work, CCTV, forensics and phone analysis, police were able to bring the gang down.
Detective Sergeant Martin Kelly, of West Midlands Police, said after the case: ‘The actions of this gang were shocking.
‘Their behaviour was blatant, often spending long periods of time trying to steal cash machines with no care for the people around them.
‘They had no regard for the law and were determined to do what they wanted with no thought about the consequences.
In total 13 vehicles were stolen during their crime spree, which started in March last year, and were used to carry out the spate of robberies (pictured is footage from Solihull college where the crooks escaped with £2,000 in cash and caused £20,000 worth of damage)
The men used straps to drag out the college’s ATM (seen left with a yellow tie around it)
‘They also used unnecessary levels of violence towards various security guards and staff members and also rammed a police car head on in an effort to evade us.
‘Their crime spree also left a trail of destruction, with damage thought to be in the region of £200,000.
‘Thanks to great police work, we were able to build up a detailed picture of the gang, their vehicles and movements.
They also reversed a stolen van near the entrance to a Co-op in Acocks Green (pictured) and made attempts to steal a cash machine while shoppers watched in horror
CCTV showed one of the gang attaching the yellow strap to the shop’s ATM during the crime
‘We even seized CCTV from Larry Barnett’s own house showing him and others trying to work out how to use a power tool that we know was used in one of their crimes.
‘We continue to work with the cash machine industry to help increase security awareness to reduce the risk of them being targeting by criminals in this way in the future.
‘I hope their lengthy prison time will be of some comfort to those people affected by their wild three-month crime spree.
‘These dangerous offenders are now off the streets and being punished for their actions.’
Four members of a gang are jailed for 61 years … and seven members are yet to be sentenced
Those jailed on Thursday were:
Larry Barnett, 33, from Stechford was given 21 years.
Jamie Lambie, 43, from Smith’s Wood was given 19 years.
Lee Barnett, 32, from Shard End was given 12 years.
Michael Dunleavy, 37, from Balsall Common was given 9 years.
While those still to be sentenced are:
Shaun Bates, 26, from Shirley
Michael Bowen, 31, of no fixed address
Steven Ives, 40, from Kingstanding
Karl Hastings, 46, from Kingstanding
Carl Heard, 38, from Sheldon
Shawn Bancroft, 27, from Castle Bromwich
Oliver Higgins, 33, from Hollywood
Shaun Bates, 26, from Shirley (left) and Michael Bowen, 31, of no fixed address (right) are still waiting to be sentenced for their part in the gang’s crimes
Shawn Bancroft, 27, from Castle Bromwich (left) and Oliver Higgins, 33, from Hollywood (right) are the final two members of the gang who are yet to be sentenced