Jailed: David Bentley captured on CCTV during one of his raids
A cross-dressing armed robber who held up travel agents with a toy gun has been jailed for 28 years.
David Bentley wore makeup and a ginger wig before terrifying staff and customers at travel agents across the country.
During one incident, the 54-year-old went to a Thompson travel agents in Tonbridge, Kent, and pointed a pretend gun at a female member of staff. He demanded she fill a bag he had with money from the till, and fled with £7,000.
CCTV images showed him escaping in a blue Citroen Picasso, using false number plates, which was later to be identified as being driven by his 29-year-old partner Justyna Pietrzak, from Gravesend.
Further incidents happened in Folkestone on June 12 where he stole more than £21,000 - again using a gun which is believed to have been fake.
On July 8 Bentley stole more than £15,000 in cash and travellers cheques from a Thompson travel agents in Surrey.
He again brandished a gun and threatened members of staff and customers. Witnesses saw him leave in a silver Ford Focus, being driven by a woman, again later identified as Pietrzak.
On September 26 Bentley entered the Thompson travel agents in Lincolnshire and again threatened staff with a handgun.
But this time the panic alarm was activated and he was seen to drive off in a Honda CRV. Officers in Lincolnshire later carried out a stop check on the car and arrested Pietrzak.
Links were established to Bentley and a warrant was then carried out at his home address in Orpington.
During the warrant Bentley drove into the parking area of the property in a blue Citroen Picasso, displaying false number plates.
When officers searched Pietrzak's home in Gravesend, they found a cosmetic box containing makeup.
Other enquiries found that Bentley had been ordering various number plates, later identified as used by the vehicles in the robberies.
Following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court, Bentley was found guilty of four counts of robbery and four counts of possession of an imitation firearm.
Pietrzak was found guilty of four counts of robbery and acquitted of firearms charges.
Yesterday, he was sentenced 28 years while Pietrzak was given a suspended sentence for her roles in the robberies.
Detective constable Scott Winteridge said: "Bentley was determined to steal money from these travel agents and prepared to go to great lengths to do so and get away with it.
"He travelled great distances to carry out the offences, made use of make-up and disguises to cover his tracks and used false number plates on his vehicles.
"He didn't care for his victims - subjecting them to terrifying ordeals, the effects of which they still have to live with to this day.
"Bentley and his partner Pietrzak thought they could get away with daylight robbery, but we've shown today that crime doesn't pay."
Credit: UK Mirror,
No comments:
Post a Comment