WATCH: CCTV footage captures moment 'clumsy' thief blows up cash machine in Berwick
British Transport Police has released CCTV footage showing the moment a thief blew up a cash machine at the railway station in Berwick.
It comes as a 48-year-old man from Greater Manchester this week starts an 11-year jail sentence for his role in the £100,000 raid in March 2020.
Craig Jepson, of Swanage Road, Eccles, was also convicted of attempting to rob an ATM at Lancaster station, along with three other people, five months earlier.
Manchester Crown Court heard the metal casing from the ATM was removed and an explosive device attached before Jepson took cover, around 3am.
Film footage shows the concourse full of dust, glass, and smoke as the machine is breached.
Jepson then left the scene with around £100,000 in cash from the ATM but also left a trail of money behind.
A witness near to the station heard the explosion and alerted police.
WATCH: Click on the link below to view a video of the incident...
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.
Jepson, who was arrested at his home in October 2020, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to burgle an ATM and conspiracy to cause an explosion.
A mobile phone recovered at the scene of the other raid at Lancaster station held a sim card with a number linked to Jepson, whose DNA was also found on several pieces of evidence.
The court heard analysis of the phone led police to the other members of the gang.
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DC Ian Grice, from the British Transport Police, 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.”
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