Watch bizarre moment 'umbrella gang' storms supermarket before attacking staff and stealing cash

 
Bizarre: The gang enter a Farmfoods in Tipton with large pink and red umbrellas to hide their faces from passers-by (Picture: YouTube/West Midlands Police)
Ramzy Alwakeel19 April 2015
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This is the bizarre moment a gang of crooks rushed into a Farmfoods while carrying large, open umbrellas before punching a staff member and stealing cash.

The robbers, who raided 13 shops to the tune of £175,000 during a two-month crime spree, were this week jailed for more than 25 years in total.

Ashleigh Evans, Marcus Morgan, Liam Bell and Trea Richardson “often used umbrellas to mask their entrance” when they targeted shops between April and June last year, police said. They got away with £2,200 worth of cigarettes and cars worth £30,000 as well as £145,000 in cash.

During their terrifying 53-day rampage, they threatened staff at supermarkets, convenience stores and electrical shops with guns, knives, hammers, screwdrivers and even golf clubs.

Then even forced workers into a freezer during one raid in Kidderminster, when they threatened to shoot anyone who did not do as they were told.

But they were brought down by police forensics after leaving behind a gun at one raid, and evidence was recovered after their homes were raided.

Umbrella gang: Top L-R, Ashleigh Evans, Marcus Morgan and, bottom L-R, Liam Bell and Trea Richardson (Pictures: West Midlands Police)

Evans, of Vale Street, West Bromwich; Morgan of Park Road, Tividale; Bell of Bellvue Road, Rowley Regis; and Richardson of Grafton Road, Handsworth, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and were sentenced to a total of 27 and a half years at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.

West Midlands Police’s Det Sgt Rich Whitehouse said: “The money and value of goods stolen − while significant − is nothing compared to the impact these offences have had on the staff members of the targeted premises.

“These offences were carefully planned and the group went to great lengths to conceal their involvement − often using umbrellas as cover when walking from the street to the shops, so as not to draw attention to their face coverings.

'Arrogant': One gang member threatens a staff member with a hammer at Asda in Coseley (Picture: West Midlands Police)

“The more offences they committed the more arrogant they became, but their plans were no match for the speed of our officers, who were able to seize key evidence from the first Asda robbery before they had a chance to remove it.

“There was also a clear escalation in the type of weapons used in the robberies and I am in no doubt they would have gone on to seriously hurt someone had they not been stopped.

“I hope the sentences handed to these individuals will bring some comfort to those affected by their actions, who we hope can now begin to put the distress of what happened behind them, safe in the knowledge that these dangerous criminals will be behind bars for a considerable length of time."

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