Violent Robbery Foiled After High-Speed Chase on M62
£80,000 Stolen in Brutal Newsagent Attack
Police were called just after 8am on September 13 following a terrifying armed robbery at Haslingden News on Manchester Road. The security guard was ambushed while filling the cash machine by two thugs – one wielding a massive piece of wood, the other a deadly machete.
The robbers, later identified as Gordon Hopkins and Anthony Hughes, made off in a black Volkswagen Golf, escaping with three cash cassettes holding a whopping £80,000.
Chase Ends in Dramatic Arrest
Less than an hour later, the stolen Golf was spotted speeding along the M62. Officers from West Yorkshire Police stopped the car near Sowerby Bridge. Hughes bolted, sprinting across the live motorway lanes, dropping his snood as he fled. DNA analysis on the snood linked it straight to 38-year-old Hughes.
Hopkins, 44, didn’t get far either. He ducked into a nearby garden where a witness saw him shove items – including a balaclava – into a wheelie bin while donning latex gloves. The balaclava was linked back to Hopkins, sealing his fate.
Cash and Cloned Plates Recovered
Police recovered the full £80,000 stash inside the Golf, along with cloned number plates used to mask the getaway vehicle. Both men hail from leeds/" title="Leeds" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="4771">Leeds – Hughes from Coronation Parade, Hopkins from Spen Walk – and have pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of offensive weapons.
Long Jail Sentences for Dangerous Duo
The pair faced Recorder Nicholas Clarke QC at Burnley Crown Court last Friday. Both were branded dangerous offenders and hit with heavy sentences: 13 years and 8 months behind bars, plus an extended licence period of 3 years and 8 months.
DS Dave Bowler, of East CID, slammed the pair’s cruelty. “Hopkins and Hughes are dangerous individuals who travelled from West Yorkshire armed with weapons and intent on committing a pre-planned robbery. Their reckless and selfish actions could have easily resulted in somebody being seriously injured or even killed.”
“Thanks to the dedication of officers in Lancashire and West Yorkshire, these two individuals are now starting significant custodial sentences. Even when released, they will be closely monitored on licence.”
“I hope these sentences send a clear message: anyone who arms themselves and commits crime in Lancashire will be caught, charged, and locked up.”
