Trio held over Horden bank robbery went on to commit three more raids

One of the men was caught on CCTV threatening jewellery workers with a pistol in Rawtenstall

Three men jailed for a string of armed robberies were arrested during their spree but later released due to a "lack of evidence", police have said.

Lee Tansey, Anthony Gough and Christopher Reuben were held over a bank robbery in Horden, County Durham, in 2016, but were later bailed.

They committed three more robberies, before being caught preparing for a further raid in January 2017.

They were each jailed for 21 years at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Tansey, 40, of Innings Drive, Salford, was previously jailed in 2011 for his part in three bank robberies.

Greater Manchester Police said the 40-year-old, along with Gough, 37, of Blackmoor Drive, Liverpool, and Reuben, 32, of Wigan Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, had committed a total of six robberies between July and November 2016.

'Fuelled by greed'

A spokesman said the trio often dressed as builders in order to "recce" their targets before the robberies and used a variety of weapons including a crowbar, a sawn-off shotgun, a pistol and a sledgehammer.

Before raiding the bank in County Durham, which saw them escape with £11,000, the gang struck at two jewellery businesses in Rawtensall, Lancashire and Prestwich, Greater Manchester.

Gough, Reuben and Tansey disguised themselves as builders as they planned their robberies

Durham Police arrested them in connection with the bank robbery, but later released them "as, at that time, there was not enough evidence to charge them", a force spokesman said.

Two weeks later, the gang robbed a service station in Blackburn, Lancashire and went on to raid two banks in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

They were then caught by police as they prepared for a further robbery in New Mills, Derbyshire.

Greater Manchester Police's Det Sgt Rick Castley said they "were clearly fuelled by greed" and became "more and more arrogant" as they thought they were "never going to be caught".