Ram-raid gang escaped with total of £600,000 in cash in spree of ATM raids across Britain in shocking footage

Shocking CCTV footage shows a ram-raid gang escaping with a total of £600,000 in cash during a spree of ATM thefts across England, Scotland and Wales.

The organised crime gang, who caused £1m worth of damage, targeted ATMs in 17 attacks at shops, train stations, post offices and petrol stations. 

During the 19-month rampage, between March 2021 and October 2022, police say the group would use a stolen van and straps to rip stand-alone cash machines from the ground before fleeing in a stolen high-powered vehicle on false plates. For ATMs in buildings, the gang would use power tools or vehicles to smash through doors and use a drill to access the contents inside.

Detectives said the thefts were coordinated by Patrick Gilheaney, 34, John Smith, 32, and Tali Smith, 34. The trio used partners, relatives and other associates in an ‘on-call’ capacity so the criminal operation would run smoothly. Ten defendants have now been sentenced to a total of 29 years and eight months in prison after admitting a range of offences at Leicester Crown Court. 

Gilheaney, of Loughborough, Leicestershire, and John Smith, of Spalding, Lincolnshire, were jailed for seven years and six months for conspiracy to commit burglary with intent to steal and conspiracy to steal. Tali Smith, of Bagworth, Leicestershire, was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for the same offences.

The gang's crime spree in full 

15 March 2021 - Loughborough - Burglary £600

24 August 2021 - Carronshore, Scotland - Burglary £120,000

4 September 2021 - Attenborough, Nottinghamshire - Theft £53,630

22 November 2021 - Bo’ness, Scotland - Theft £37,670

24 November 2021 - Milngavie, Scotland - Theft £37,660

25 November 2021 - Wester Dechmont, Scotland - Burglary £18,550

1 December 2021 - Peterborough - Burglary £93,390

8 December 2021 - Wolverhampton - Theft £41,430

17 December 2021 - Luton - Theft £7,130

17 December 2021 - Worcester - Theft £0*

24 January 2022 - Dorchester - Theft £38,400

30 January 2022 - Milngavie, Scotland - Theft £0*

30 January 2022 - Ayr, Scotland - Theft £44,670

31 January 2022 - Motherwell, Scotland - Theft £123,970

1 February 2022 - Livingston, Scotland - Burglary £0*

6 October 2022 - East Midlands Parkway - Theft £0*

7 October 2022 - Southampton - Theft £35,510

Total: £652,610

*In cases where no cash was stolen, the attackers were either disturbed, unsuccessful in gaining entry to the ATM or the ATM was empty.