M&S raiders facing prison

Three members of a 'smash and grab' gang who bagged almost £3,000 from Marks & Spencer in Kidderminster as part of a £60,000 nationwide spree are facing jail.

The masked bandits used crowbars and sledge hammers to burst into shops overnight, cleaning out tills in the burglary spree.

They struck 44 times in five months, netting £60,000 in cash and causing a similar amount in damage, Inner London Crown Court heard.

Dean Baldwin and Paul Debenham, both 25, and Michael Weightman, 26, were remanded in custody until October 28.

They are accused of attacking stores repeatedly across England, Wales and Scotland, including the Weaver's Wharf branch in Kidderminster where they lifted around £2,900 in a raid on October 27.

James Brown, prosecuting, said: "These three defendants were involved in a long-running and sophisticated conspiracy to burgle Marks & Spencer stores up and down the country."

He added: "The conspiracy relied on a piece of inside knowledge namely that, at that time, a certain amount of cash was left overnight in the tills.

"The participants were well-organised and aware of CCTV and forensic issues.

"They were careful to remain only a few minutes inside the store once the alarms had gone off and were quite content to cause considerable damage to gain entry to the shop and the tills inside."

Baldwin, of Mitcham Road, Croydon, Debenham, of Gatestone Court, Central Hill, Upper Norwood, and Weightman of Festival Court, Cleeve Way, Sutton, each admitted conspiracy to burgle between August 1 last year to January 31 this year. Debenham admitted a further count of burglary.