Criminals who raised Nelson jeweller are jailed (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Criminals who raised Nelson jeweller are jailed

10:00am Saturday 14th July 2012 in Pendle

"PROFESSIONAL" armed raiders who tried to smash their way into a Nelson jeweller's in broad daylight, have been jailed for a total of 30 years.

The five, all from Birmingham, came to East Lancashire to target The City of Gold, a family -run business on Manchester Road, and brought with them balaclavas and weapons. They escaped empty-handed after being unable to break through a second security door, but two young children were in the premises at the time, Burnley Crown Court heard.

The hearing was told police trailed the getaway car and in a bid to escape, it mounted the pavement and almost ran down a mother with a baby and a six year old child near a school in Swinton, Manchester.

Ellahi and his four accomplices Umayr Ahmed, 20, and Khazeer Ali, 19, of Hall Green and Imran Zamir, 19, and Amar Haider, 19, of Sparkbrook all admitted attempted robbery of jeweller Kamran Ali, on March 16.

Ellahi, of Weatheroak Road, also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, was banned for two years and must take an extended driving test. Each defendant was sent to custody for six years.

The court had been told Ellahi, a student, had owned up to his part in the incident on the basis he was not present at the scene of the actual robbery attempt, but had driven up to East Lancashire on the day and was the driver after it took place.

Jeremy Lasker, prosecuting, said the attempted robbery was professional and well-planned and took place in the afternoon, in broad daylight.

The prosecutor said :" It only failed due to the fact a second security door allowing access to the jeweller's shop held fast and they were unable to break into the premises."

Mr Lasker said because it was a Friday, the shop had not opened until 2.30pm. Present were brothers, Imran, Rizwan and Kamran Ali. Two children were in the back. A customer was still being served when the defendants attacked the premises. At about 3.15pm, a Citroen pulled up outside the door and hooded men, with their faces covered and armed with weapons, leapt out. One had a sledge hammer and one was carrying an axe.

They were unable to force the inner door, returned to their getaway car and it sped off.

The prosecutor said a number of local people saw the raid attempt and a woman made a mental note of the car registration. The defendants dumped the Citroen. A witness saw them running towards the second vehicle and he noted the car number plate.

Police spotted the second vehicle, with all five defendants on board, going south on the M60 later that afternoon. A helicopter was scrambled and the gang was also being trailed by two police cars and a police motorcyclist. The car left the motorway, at Swinton and turned into a busy road, where many children were being collected from school and had to stop. An officer told the defendant to open the car door. Ellahi set off and mounted the pavement to try and escape.

The officer smashed the windscreen. Two axes and a machete were found in the vehicle.