Four men who were caught in the act of staging a ram raid in an attempt to steal an ATM cash machine were jailed on Friday (November 27) at Lincoln Crown Court.
The four used a stolen JCB to rip open the wall of the Spar Shop on London Road, Long Sutton, in the middle of the night, and had getaway vehicles lined up only to be disturbed by a police officer.
Stephen Kemp, prosecuting, said the gang caused significant structural damage to the shop in their attempts to get to the cash machine.
A van intended to be used to transport the machine from the scene had been stolen just hours earlier from Peterborough and was parked nearby.
One of the gang, Levi Smith, attempted to drive off when officers arrived but was blocked in by two police vehicles.
Others also tried to escape but were arrested. The damage caused by the ram raid together with the shop’s loss of sales amounted to more than £30,000.
Levi Smith (49), of Coniston Road, Peterborough, was jailed for four years. Dale Smith (28), of Malvern Meadows, Worcester, was jailed for three years and eight months. Levi Mitchell (31), of Gibb Croft, Harlow, Essex, was jailed for three years; and Leo Smith (20), of Spriggs Road, Peterborough was jailed for two years.
All four men admitted conspiracy to commit burglary on October 19.
At the time of the offence both Levi Smith and Dale Smith were on licence having been released early from previous prison sentences. Levi Smith also admitted charges of driving while disqualified and driving without insurance and was banned from driving for 18 months.
Recorder Simon King told them “You went into this together. You knew what you were doing and you planned it. It is clear that these premises were deliberately targeted by the four of you.”
