Armed robber caught on camera smashing into unmarked police car - before burning stolen vehicle

An armed robber has been jailed after smashing into an unmarked police car, before fleeing and setting fire to a stolen vehicle.

John Davis, Steven Moore and Andrew Quinn demanded jewellery from a home in Solihull, West Mids, before repeatedly ramming a police car in a stolen Ford Ranger, speeding off and setting it on fire.

The trio had hurled a brick through the rear window of the property, before stabbing the male homeowner in the arm and stomach and spraying him with CS spray.

Davis, 33, was then caught on camera repeatedly smashing into a vehicle which blocked him into a Birmingham street, apparently unaware it was an unmarked police car.

He set the stolen Ford Ranger alight before fleeing in another vehicle as the truck burst into flames.
The three dangerous robbers have since been jailed for a total of almost 50 years.

After smashing their way into the Solihull property, stabbing the homeowner and hitting him over the head with a brick, the trio had demanded to be taken 'to the gold'.

But a well-drilled 'emergency plan' rehearsed by the family due to the nature of their business, saw the robbers trapped in the kitchen by a locked door.

Upstairs, the family's daughter triggered an alarm and called 999.

The trio eventually managed to force a door open, pocket a small haul of jewellery and flee to a waiting getaway car.

Police, who arrived at the house minutes after the alarm was raised, arrested Moore as he ran from the scene. Davis and Quinn were picked up four days later following detailed mobile phone analysis.

[VIDEO: US snow storm causes 50-car pile-up]

Their getaway vehicle, a Renault Megane which had been stolen during a previous burglary, was found by police near a timber yard in Tyseley, West Mids.

Moore, 28, had only just been released from an eight-year prison term when he was part of the gang. He was jailed for 15 years - with a minimum term of 11 years - after admitting robbery.

Quinn, also 28, was found guilty of being involved in the incident after a five-day trial at Birmingham Crown Court in November.

He was jailed for 17 years, with a minimum 15 behind bars.

Davis, who was jailed for the same period, was also found guilty of dangerous driving after ramming into the police car and setting fire to the stolen truck on May 3.

Solihull Police Detective Constable Dave Bailey, who led the investigation, welcomed the tough sentences and praised the bravery of the jeweller and his family.

He said: 'These are dangerous men, individuals who had no qualms about putting a family, including two daughters aged 15 and 17, through a frightening ordeal.

'However, they picked on the wrong home because the switched on family - who've owned jewellery shops for many years - had a pre-arranged emergency plan in place should their home ever be targeted by thieves.

'It saw an early call to police which meant the robbers fled largely empty-handed and meant we could get officers to the scene quickly, with one offender caught red-handed.

'Extensive phone analysis proved the defendants travelled to the robbery together, were at the location at the time of the break-in, and had been in contact on a regular basis building up to the raid.

'The judge has rightly handed down lengthy sentences to these men and the region's streets are now safer with them behind bars.'