By Immingham ATM thieves caught
Two Grimsby thieves who tried to steal from an ATM in Immingham have now been caught and jailed for a combined total of seven years.
In December 2017, it was reported that there had been an attack and attempted theft of a cash machine at a petrol station on Stallingborough Road, Immingham.
The suspects had removed part of the casing, before setting fire to the cash machine. They were disturbed by passing security patrol, and fled the scene in a silver coloured people carrier.
It was previously thought that the offence had been committed by three people.
Last Friday, Karlis Jekabsons, 21, and Lee Mulhall, 36, of Cabourne Road and Sutcliffe Avenue respectively, were sentenced at Grimsby Crown Court.
The court heard how on the 7th of December 2017, Jekabsons and Mulhall had attacked a cash machine at a petrol station by attempting to use gas to blow the machine open, only resulting in causing burn damage to the ATM, but posing a substantial risk of a major fire or explosion.
The pair then fled the scene empty handed.
Following extensive investigations both Jekabsons and Mulhall were arrested.
Mulhall initially pleaded not guilty but he changed his plea to guilty on the first day of the planned trial.
He was given 36 months in jail for his part in the incident.
Jekabsons pleaded guilty when the case first went to court.
He was handed a 21 month prison sentence for the attempted theft of the ATM and a further 27 months for a separate case of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. This was a collision between the stolen car he was driving and a second vehicle at the junction of Littlefield Lane and Dudley Street on 5 June 2019.
Jekabsons also fled the scene of the collision of the crime on this occasion, leaving behind five people suffering from serious injuries.
Detective Sergeant Ian Potter said:
“Thankfully Mulhall and Jekabsons were not successful in their plan to attack the cash machine, however their actions show their sheer lack of consideration for the potential consequences.
Jekabsons had an absolute lack of respect for the law, and it is only by sheer good luck that no one was killed in the car he crashed into in June last year.
It is clear to me that these men are dangerous and I hope that the public feel reassured knowing that they are off our streets for a considerable amount of time.
I would like to praise the investigative team for their tenacity in investigating this job. It was a long and very complex investigation with a number of lines of enquiry to explore, however they persevered working tirelessly to bring the pair before the courts.”
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