Cash machine thief jailed over raids across England

George Tunney was found hiding up a tree after a police chase

A man who carried out a series of cash machine raids using explosives has been jailed.

George Tunney, from Doncaster, stole almost £100,000 in cash and caused £60,000 worth of damage at ATMs across northern and central England last year.

Tunney, 24, admitted conspiracy to cause explosions, conspiracy to burgle, theft and handling stolen goods.

He was jailed for 11 years and banned from driving for eight years at York Crown Court on Tuesday.

Det Supt Fran Naughton said: "Not only did Tunney and his associates endanger many lives through the dangerous use of explosives, some of which were deployed at fuel forecourts, they caused well in excess of £60,000 damage to a number of businesses.

"These businesses provide essential local services to their communities and many were out of use for extended periods of time whilst repairs were made."

Tunney's first raids in January 2020, targeting two machines in Doncaster and others in Hessle near Hull, Mansfield in Nottinghamshire and Grantham in Lincolnshire, saw him fail to access any cash.

However, on 10 January he stole more than £57,000 from an ATM at a service station near York.

He stole another £35,000 following three further raids in March 2020, in which cash machines in Leicestershire, South and North Yorkshire were attacked.

Hid in tree

On 10 March 2020 a stolen car, believed to have been used in the raids, was seen near York.

A high-speed pursuit took place until the vehicle crashed into barriers at the McArthur Glen designer outlet on the outskirts of the city.

Tunney and his two accomplices were found hiding in a tree and were arrested.

Frederick Squires, 38, of Castleacre Road, Swaffham, Norfolk and a 16 year-old boy from Doncaster, were both jailed in November 2020, police said.

Squires had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglaries, conspiracy to cause explosions and aggravated vehicle taking and was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison and banned from driving for seven years and three months.

The teenager was convicted of conspiracy to commit burglaries and conspiracy to cause explosions following a trial and received a two year detention order.

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