THE fifth and final member of an armed gang who committed a £250,000 raid on a Blackburn jewellers has been jailed for 11 years.

Shaun Springer, 30, of Northway Road, Croydon, was sentenced at Kingston Upon Thames Crown Court for the robbery on Ancient & Modern Jewellers, New Market Street, Blackburn in July 2009.

He was given five years by the judge, plus a further six years for two cash-in-transit offences in London.

He had been on prison licence at the time for firearms offences.

In November, the four other members of the London-based organised crime gang were jailed for a total of 39 years for their parts in the crowbar and hammer raid.

Cleon Perry, 33, of Tulse Hill, South London was jailed for nine years; Scott Raphael, 24, of no fixed abode was given six years; Tarique Jules, 30, of Lucorn Close, London was sentenced to 12 years and Wayne Williams, 36, of Fairlawn Park, London was given 12 years.

After the case, Detective Constable Dan Perkins from Blackburn CID, said he was very pleased with the sentence of Springer, who he described as ‘in control of the shop floor’.

He said: “They were a prolific team causing a lot of problems in London.”

Springer was carrying a weapon wrapped in a carrier bag and was chased by town centre Sgt Alan Clayton tow-ards the Jubilee pub as the gang dropped the watches and gems as they fled.