A gang behind violent ATM ram raids on small shops across Birmingham - including five in 24 hours - have been jailed.

The burglars used stolen cars as "battering rams" to smash their way into TWENTY separate premises to steal £76,000 in cash.

The stolen cars, which had false plates fitted, were written off - to the tune of £220,000.

But the gang were caught following a high speed chase involving a police helicopter, with two jumping into a canal in a bid to escape.

Nathaniel Brown, 29, of Longleat Avenue, Lea Bank, Saifullah Khan, 27, of Smithmore Crescent, West Bromwich, Shaun Sutherland, 28, of Eastwood Road, Balsall Heath and Abdul Nasim, 20, of Holcombe Road, Tyseley, had all previously admitted conspiracy to burgle.

Sutherland was jailed for six years and three months, Khan for five years and four months and Brown for four years and eight months.

Aftermath following ram raid at Eurochange, Kings Heath

Nasim was given a sentence of five years and four months detention.

The spree lasted for six weeks between October and early November last year.

"The defendants were involved in what was clearly an organised, determined and on occasions quite brazed conspiracy," said Brian Williams, prosecuting, at Birmingham Crown Court.

"The results of which were were very substantial loss to small businesses and very substantial damage caused to shops, in some cases causing loss of business with shops having to be closed for repairs.

"It is a feature of this case that the conspirators stole cars. These cars were not only used to transport them to and from the burglaries but were used as battering rams to smash through shop premises and in some cases dragging cash machines out of shops."

Twenty shops were targeted and eight cars, which had false plates fitted to them, used.

The cars were worth £220,000 and were all written off while the value of the property taken was £76,000.

"The total financial consequences of the defendants wrong doing was around £440,000," said Mr Williams.

Balti Express, Pershore Road, Cotteridge, was boarded up on Friday
Balti Express, Pershore Road, Cotteridge, was boarded up on Friday

The damage to the premises varied although one of them, the Balti Express in Kings Norton, was totally wrecked.

The spree started when the gang stole two cars, an Audi and a Range Rover, with the Audi being used to drag a cash machine from a store just after midnight on October 4.

Time Line

Five ram raids in 24 hours

  1. 2.45am - Argos, Kings Heath

    Raiders struck at Argos on Kings Heath High Street at around 2.45am on Tuesday, November 6.

    They were believed to have ram raided the shop.

    Images from the branch show that it was open on Wednesday despite the incident.

  2. 3am - Jewellery Shop, Billesley

    Just 15 minutes later, bungling robbers tried to break into a jewellery shop in Yardley Wood Road, believed to be in Billesley.

    The three men who have been arrested will also be questioned about both raids in Kings Heath.

  3. 11.30pm - Co-op, Dudley

    Armed robbers smashed their way inside a Co-op store in Dudley at around 11.30pm later that same day.

    The men gained entry to the Sedgley Road shop using crowbars before trying to prize open a cash machine.

    They failed to do so and fled empty-handed.

  4. 11.58pm - Jewellers, Hockley

    Raiders are understood to have struck again just before midnight on Tuesday.

    This raid took place at a jewellers in Hockley Street, Hockley.

    It is believed they used a blow torch to cut through security shutters.

  5. Eurochange, Kings Heath

    Before police could spot the Land Rover, it was used to ram raid a money exchange shop, Eurochange on Kings Heath High Street.

    Images show the shop boarded up after the ram raid.

    It is not known exactly what time this took place, but it was between 12am - 12.20am on Wednesday, November 7.

  6. 12.20am - Land Rover spotted

    Details of a Land Rover used in the offences were radioed round to West Midlands Police units.

    At 12.20am on Wednesday morning the police helicopter spotted it driving along Billesley Lane.

  7. Three men caught near Walford Road, Small Heath

    Traffic officers then chased the car - which is understood to have been stolen during a burglary in the West Midlands.

    Police discovered the car near Walford Road, Small Heath - but the men had fled and abandoned the car.

    Officers plucked two of the men from the nearby canal, while a third suspect was found hiding in trees.

    Sniffer dogs also found a ski mask and gloves believed to have been discarded by the fleeing men.

Three days later they struck at another store in Yardley Wood Road and a manager who had been alerted to the break in was threatened with a crowbar.

Mr Williams said that anyone who tried to intervene was pelted with lumps of concrete and bricks.

On one occasion a police car had its windscreen smashed and officers who recovered one of the gang's vehicles found it "stocked up with ammunition."

During one burglary at a premises in Smethwick the raiders managed to drag away a safe containing £10,000, although it was later found with the cash still inside.

The final raids were carried out on November 5 and 6 but by the time the gang had reversed a car several times into Euro Change in Kings Heath police were "on to them."

The West Midlands Police helicopter is involved in the search for missing Jack.
The West Midlands Police helicopter is involved in the search for missing Jack.

The police helicopter was scrambled and when the defendants heard it there as a brief high speed pursuit with them fleeing from their Land Rover Discovery in an area with woods and a canal near the Ackers Trust.

Those in the helicopter were able to track them with an infra red camera and direct officers who found Khan hiding in the wooded area.

Mr Williams said: "Brown and Sutherland who we say in an act of desperation ran through fields and clambered into a canal trying to conceal themselves under a ledge."

Mr Williams said the fourth defendant managed to get home.

In passing sentence Judge Heidi Kubic said: "Premises were ram raided and ATM machines in particular were targeted, obviously seeking high reward.

"Each of those sort to disguise their appearances to avoid detection.

"Crowbars and on one occasion a blow torch was used in order to seek to secure entry.

"You all knew you were taking part in serious organised crime and were part of a larger scheme."

Graham Henson, for Khan, said he had been doing a degree in business management and had a job but had become short of money - while his family owed a £3,000 debt to a child minder.