Four men who attempted to rob a cash machine at Lancaster station have been jailed.
Craig Stewart Jepson, aged 48, of Swanage Road, Eccles; Matthew Mark Doyle, aged 41, of Gorsey Brow Courtyard, Bury; Daniel Ashley Grant, aged 41 of Kentmere Drive, Blackley; and Michael Peter Waine, aged 42, of Broughville Drive, Manchester all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle Lancaster railway station ATM, following a British Transport Police investigation.
Jepson also pleaded guilty to a second count of conspiracy to burgle an ATM at Berwick upon Tweed railway station.
Jepson was jailed for 11 years for conspiracy to burgle Lancaster/Berwick ATM and conspiracy to cause an explosion.
Grant, Doyle and Waine were each sentenced to three years and four months for conspiracy to burgle the Lancaster ATM.
The court heard how on 11 October 2019, just before 3am, Waine, Grant, Doyle and Jepson entered the booking hall at Lancaster Railway station with a variety of tools, including cutting disks and crowbars to break into the ATM.
The gang spent over an hour and a half attempting to break into the ATM but only succeeded in prising open the front casing and causing several thousands of pounds of damage.
Their plan was abandoned when a member of rail staff arrived for his shift and called police but the hapless team left in a hurry leaving behind their tools.
Several other pieces of evidence were found at the scene, including DNA swabs matching Jepson and Waine. Additionally, a mobile phone recovered at the scene held a sim card with a number linked to Jepson.
Analysis of the phone led police to the other members of the gang.
CCTV enquiries identified Jepson outside the station just after 6am, removing some clothing and putting it in a bin.
Meanwhile, a member of the public saw Jepson on a platform at the station at around 6.50am, soaking wet and covered in mud, acting suspiciously. He boarded the same train at the witness, who texted BTP.
Jepson was found to be travelling without a ticket by the train conductor who notified a member of staff at the next stop, Preston railway station, who in turn also called BTP to meet the train on the platform. The witness also informed the conductor she had seen Jepson removing his trousers while on the train.
Officers – unaware of the link to the earlier incident - met the train and took Jepson’s details and removed him from the station.
A later review of BVW from that interaction identifies Jepson wearing the same footwear as seen in the Lancaster ATM attack.
A review of Waine’s personal bank card showed that on the day prior to the event, 10 October at 12.44pm, he had purchased 8 Dronco metal cutting blades used in the attempted robbery. His DNA was also found on a pair of goggles left behind at the scene.
On 4 March 2020 at around 3am, Jepson struck again at Berwick Upon Tween station and turned off the lines to the concourse.
The metal casing from the ATM was removed and an explosive device attached before Jepson took cover.
CCTV footage shows the concourse full of dust, glass, and smoke as the machine is breached. Jepson then left the scene with around £100k in cash from the ATM but also left a trail of money behind.
A witness near to the station heard the explosion and officers attended.
Items including a small bag and cash from the machine were recovered from the scene.
A few hours later, a White Jeep Renegade without numberplates was discovered by police. Inside the vehicle officers recovered parts of the ATM and a patrol disc stone cutter, matching one seen on the CCTV.
On 29 September 2020, several search warrants were executed and Doyle, Grant, and Waine were arrested and charged in connection with the Lancaster offence.
Several attempts were also made at this time to locate and arrest Jepson, who later failed to honour a probation appointment and was put on recall to prison. He was arrested at his home address on October 20.
Investigation officer DC Ian Grice said: “This was complex investigation spanning five years and today’s outcome is testament to the tenacity and hard work of the team.
“All four men were left with no option other than to admit their involvement in the attempted burglary at Lancaster given the amount of evidence left behind and the keen eyed witness who reported Jepson when they became suspicious of his behaviour.
“Jepson was clearly undeterred by the initial failed attempt and tried his hand again, this time at Berwick station using a more sophisticated method of breaking into the ATM using explosives. Sadly for him his subsequent clumsy getaway was again hampered by the trail of evidence he left behind.
“This was a challenging investigation which has resulted in the conviction of a criminal gang who will now spend a considerable amount of time behind bars.”
Sarah Staff, a Director of the British Security Industry Association, and head of SaferCash, said: “This investigation highlights the excellent work undertaken by BTP and GMP to identify and dismantle a criminal gang involved in committing this serious offence.
“Through the SaferCash initiative our partners always seek to support police investigations, striving to protect the public whilst deterring further offences being committed. Thank you to all those involved in this case who worked tirelessly on a complex and challenging investigation.”
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