AN ORGANISED crime gang has today been jailed for a total of 39 years after a £250,000 robbery at a jewellery shop in Blackburn.


CCTV footage of the raid

AN ORGANISED crime gang has been jailed for a total of 39 years after a £250,000 robbery at a jewellery shop in Blackburn.

The men targeted the venue with a crow bar and hammer before making off with watches and other jewels.

Despite dumping some of the haul, Wayne Williams, Tarique Jules, Cleon Perry and Shaun Springer, all from London, escaped with high-value stock after conning staff to open a security door to show products in the window.

Officers in Lancashire have recovered £86,000 worth of jewellery through house raids in southern England, which has been returned to the shop.

The raid came only 12 hours after sentencing for a previous raid.

The robbery took place at the Ancient and Modern Jewellers in New Market Street, Blackburn, around 10.20am on Wednesday, July 8.

During the attack three men went into the shop and threatened the staff.

The shop boss Zachary Coles said: "They were big, athletic lads who came in, carrying hammers and they threatened us. It’s great that they got good sentences to send a message out that we won’t let thugs beat us.”

Detective Inspector Neil Ashton said: “This has been a long and complex inquiry and I am pleased with the result.

"We have worked very closely with a number of other forces, in particular the Metropolitan Police, to identify and arrest these men.

"I hope the positive impact of these sentences will be felt nationally not just here in Lancashire.

“I would also like to thank a number of people from Blackburn who had confidence in the police to come forward and assist the investigation.

"Their role in providing vital information and evidence throughout the case was crucial in securing these convictions."

Cleon Perry, 33, of Tulse Hill, South London was jailed for nine years; Scott Raphael, 24, of no fixed abode was given six years; Tarique Jules, 30, of Lucorn Close, London was sentenced to 12 years and Wayne Williams, 36, of Fairlawn Park, London was given 12 years.

A fifth man, Shaun Springer, 30, of Northway Road, Croydon, will be sentenced at Kingston-upon-Thames on 15 November.

Perry pleaded guilty to robbery and Raphael and Springer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob at earlier hearings.

Jules and Williams were both found guilty of conspiracy to rob last month after a two day trial at Preston Crown Court.