A violent, armed gang of robbers have been jailed after using Islamic burqas to hide their identities as they stole hundreds of thousands of pounds in raids across Manchester.
The judge has said brave shopper, Mark Cooper, should receive a reward after tripping and attempting to apprehend one robber at the Aldi raid in Bolton.
According to The Times, Martin Reid, for the prosecution, explained how Mr. Cooper had “heard screaming and shouting and saw a man in a burka running away from the supermarket towards him.
“One of the males hit Mr. Cooper on the left shin with the blade of the machete and shouted ‘F*cking let him go’. ”
The two leaders of the gang, Christopher Ryder, 30, of Timperley, and Michael Gabriel, 30, of Wythenshawe, received 22 and 21 years in jail. In total, the gang of five received 87 years’ imprisonment.
“This was offending which was carefully planned. In the case of the Aldi robberies you knew that significant amounts of money would have been on the premises and you knew full well that when you struck there would be members of the public present in the shops, some with young children…
“In each case your gang armed yourselves with weapons, and the carrying of a machete was designed not only to strike fear, they were savage weapons which could have been used quickly to inflict serious injury so as to secure your escape.