Two men who used a knife to raid the Alvechurch Co-op and Vickey’s Store in Lickey End on the same day have been jailed for a string of robberies across the area.
Keiron Barnes, aged 25, of Spencer Walk, Catshill, Bromsgrove, was sent to prison for a total of 10 years and Christian Davidson, aged 34, of Austin Road, Charford, Bromsgrove, received sentences totalling seven years and nine months. They were sentenced by Judge Alistair McCreath sitting at Worcester Crown Court.
Barnes was given eight years for robberies at the Co-op (Headless Cross) in Evesham Road, Redditch, and the One Stop Shop in Bristol Road South, Northfield, both committed on January 7, 2009; an attempted robbery at the Co-op (Crabbs Cross) in Evesham Road, Redditch, on January 13, 2009, and two more robberies the same day at Vicky’s Convenience Store in Alcester Road, Bromsgrove and the Co-op in The Square at Alvechurch. He was also convicted of possessing an offensive weapon, a knife, during all those raids.
Barnes received a further two years for another robbery at the One-Stop Shop in Catshill, Bromsgrove on March 24, 2009.
Getaway driver Davidson was sentenced to six years and nine months for the four robberies and one attempted robbery on January 7 and 13. He was handed a consecutive one-year sentence for dangerous driving.
Both men had admitted all the charges against them at a previous hearing.
The court heard that Davidson had been involved in all the raids apart from the robbery at the One-Stop Shop at Catshill during which Barnes assaulted a store assistant.
The dangerous driving charge related to a police pursuit after the offences on January 13. Davidson was at the wheel of a VW Golf which was followed to the Lickey area after it was spotted by police at the Harvester Island, Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove.
Officers were unable to catch the pair on that occasion but arrested them after the Golf was seen several days later on the Charford estate in Bromsgrove.
Following sentencing Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Eccleston of West Mercia Police said that it had been a lengthy and complex investigation and he paid tribute to the Crown Prosecution Service for their support throughout the case.
He said: “Offences like this have a huge impact on the people who work in our local businesses in North Worcestershire and the rural communities they serve.
“Although robberies of this nature are relatively rare in our area it is important that people realise that we are wholly committed to identifying those who commit serious crime here, and bringing them to justice through the courts.
“Hopefully it will provide some measure of reassurance to the victims of these crimes and the wider community to know that these men have received lengthy prison sentences.”