THREE men have been jailed for a total of 19 years after a security guard was subjected to a terrifying hold-up.
Raider Nicholas Leacock, 35, and his getaway driver Marvin Samuels 27, were imprisoned for nine years each at Guildford Crown Court on Friday.
The pair admitted a charge of conspiracy to commit robbery after holding up a cash delivery driver outside the Blockbusters store in Croydon Road, Caterham, on April 20.
The incident took place shortly before noon when the man was threatened before the cash box was swiped from him. The offenders then made off at speed in a vehicle.
Both men have previously been given two jail sentences apiece for robbery offences within the last decade, the court heard.
Co-defendant Paul Tucker, 35, of Headley Drive, New Addington, was convicted of entering into a money laundering arrangement.
The court heard he had let Leacock and Samuels use an angle grinder at his home to open the contents of the stolen cash box.
Father-of-three Tucker, who claimed to police he had only been involved after being threatened by the other defendants, was jailed for 12 months.
The court heard earlier how security guard Ian Strachan was terrified that he would be "staring down the barrel of a gun" during the hold-up, but he admitted he did not actually see a weapon.
Prosecutor Ian Hope said: "The security guard was confronted by a man in a balaclava holding something and shouting 'come on, come on'.
"The man took the cash box and ran to a getaway car parked across the road, where a driver sped off towards the Croydon Road roundabout.
"The guard then pressed his panic alarm."
A tracking device in the stolen cash box led police to a property in Headley Drive, New Addington, the court heard.
Mr Hope said they found a box containing £370 in notes – which were stained in a purple dye – as well as industrial cutting equipment, a balaclava and a polo shirt, which was also smeared with dye.
Jonathan Simpson, representing Leacock, told the court: "This was a planned snatch but it was done in a half-baked, half-hearted way with the minimum threat of force."
Jailing the pair involved in the robbery, Judge Michael Addison said: "You are persistent professional robbers.
"There is a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm from further offences."
The judge told Tucker: "You certainly weren't the ringleader but this offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified."
Det Sgt Penny Goodale of Surrey Police, who led the investigation, said: "I welcome these lengthy sentences.
"This was a planned and organised robbery where the offenders were quite prepared to threaten the cash delivery driver and put other members of the public in Caterham at risk to get what they wanted.
"Fortunately no one was injured during the incident."
Samuels, of Woodside Green in South Norwood, and Leacock, of Grange Walk in New Cross, were cleared by a jury of having a firearm with intent to rob.
