Four charged with West Midlands shop raids
Four men were appearing in court today charged with conspiracy to commit robbery following a series of raids at convenience stores across the region.
The men are charged in connection with seven robberies at seven convenience stores, in which cash and cigarettes were taken.
Robberies took place at stores including Tesco Express in Willenhall Road, Wolverhampton; Sainsbury's Local in Louise Street in Gornall; One Stop in Ashmore Park in Wednesfield.
Raids also took place at Tesco Express in Codsall; Co-op in Wolverhampton Road, Penkridge, Spar Stores in Windmill Bank, Wombourne and Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury.
All four men were appearing before magistrates in Cannock today.
They are Craig Osmund-Smith, aged 40, of Valley Road, in Dudley; Graham Aulton, 32, of High Street, in Wednesfield; Stewart Ferguson, aged 34, of Talbot Lane in Bilston and Alan Britton, aged 40, of Duke Street in Wolverhampton.
The four were arrested on Tuesday as part of an operation involving officers from Staffordshire, West Midlands and West Mercia police.
