Armed robbers nab £80k cash in daring Haslingden raid – jailed for nearly 14 years!
Violent Raid at Haslingden News Shakes Town
Police were called at 8:05am on September 13 after a brazen robbery at Haslingden News on Manchester Road. A security guard was attacked by two thugs just as he entered to refill the shop’s cash machine. One wielded a heavy piece of wood, the other brandished a machete.
Getaway in Black Volkswagen Ends in High-Speed Chase
The robbers, later identified as Gordon Hopkins and Anthony Hughes, fled in a black Volkswagen Golf carrying three stolen cash cassettes containing a whopping £80,000. Less than an hour later, West Yorkshire Police spotted the stolen Golf on the M62 near Sowerby Bridge and moved in to stop it.
Desperate Escape Attempts Foiled by DNA and Witnesses
- Hughes made a mad dash across live motorway lanes, dropping his snood – DNA on the garment tied him to the crime.
- Hopkins bolted into a nearby garden, caught stuffing evidence into a wheelie bin while sporting latex gloves. A balaclava found in the bin was linked straight to him.
Inside the Golf, officers recovered the full £80,000 cash haul and a cloned number plate linked to the offence.
Justice Served: Dangerous Duo Get 13 Years Each
Hopkins, 44, and Hughes, 38, both from Leeds, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of offensive weapons. At Burnley Crown Court, Recorder Nicholas Clarke QC branded them dangerous offenders and handed down hefty sentences of 13 years and 8 months in custody, plus an extended licence period of nearly four years.
DS Dave Bowler, East CID: “Hopkins and Hughes travelled from West Yorkshire armed and planned this robbery with dangerous intent. Their reckless actions could have caused serious injury or death.”
“Thanks to the hard work of our police teams, these men now face significant jail time and will be closely monitored on licence after release.”
“This sentence sends a clear message: we won’t tolerate weapon-wielding criminals in Lancashire. We’ll use every resource to catch and charge offenders.”
