Merseyside Police welcome sentencing of 6 men in relation to ATM burglary offences

ON Monday, 5 February 2018, Merseyside Police have welcomed the sentencing of 6 men to a total of over 20 years imprisonment in relation to a series of ATM burglary offences across Merseyside and Cheshire.

Between 7 January 2017 and 11 July 2017 there were a number of offences within the Liverpool, Wirral and Cheshire areas.

In each of the offences the offenders have, in the early hours of the morning, targeted commercial premises such as:- Post Offices, convenience stores and service stations, that contain an ATM.

The gang arrived at the scenes in high powered vehicles, often Audi or Mercedes cars, on cloned number plates, forced entry to the premises and attacked the ATM in order to steal the cash contained inside.

The gang also rented an industrial premises in Birkenhead where they stored equipment, stolen cars and weapons.

► In total the gang pleaded to 7 offences and were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court.

► David O'Brien, 35, from Huyton was sentenced to 5 years and 5 months for conspiracy to commit burglary.

► Stephen Roberts, 38, from Prescot was sentenced to 5 years and 5 months for conspiracy to commit burglary.

► Les McStein, 34, from Egremont, was sentenced to 6 years for conspiracy to commit burglary.

► Craig Dobbins, 36, from the Beechwood, was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months for conspiracy to commit burglary.

► Craig Brennan, 33, from the Wirral, was sentenced to 10 months for attempted burglary of a commercial premises.

► John Huntington, 21, from the Wirral, was given a 2 year suspended sentence and 175 hours community order for conspiracy to commit burglary.

Detective Inspector Mike Dalton said:- "I am delighted that we have managed to put this gang behind bars for a number of serious offences. These are not victimless crimes. These individuals have, when confronted by Police Officers or members of the public, used violence to ensure they were not detained. They have pre-armed themselves with bricks and when confronted by Police Officers thrown them at Police vehicles to facilitate their escape. On 1 occasion they assaulted a member of the public who was simply passing by. The victim received 10 stitches to a laceration to his hand caused by a knife and also a broken nose. Thankfully they are now behind bars where they belong."


The incidents the gang have been sentenced for are as follows:-

► 7 January 2017 - McNaughton Newsagents, Woolton Road, Childwall.

► 8 April 2017 - Post Office, Grove Road, Wallasey.

► 15 April 2017 - Post Office, Teehey Lane, Bebington.

► 24 May 2017 - Premier News, Village Road, Heswall.

► 17 June 2017 - Aldi, Neston, Cheshire.

► 6 July 2017 - Post Office, St Paul's Road, Seacombe.

► 11 July 2017 - Aldi, Port Causeway, Bebington.