Sentence: 7 years and 6 months imprisonment
Christopher Thomas, 45, of Elizabeth Way, Gamlingay, participated in a violent robbery at Emporium antiques and jewellery shop in Fishers Yard, St Neots, on December 23, 2024, just after 11am. Four masked men, armed with hammers, crowbars, and a metal pole, reversed a Ford Fiesta into the front door and stormed inside. Thomas threatened the daughter behind the till, smashed a counter, and threatened her several more times with a crowbar before the till was ripped from her grip. Her mother was also threatened. Display cabinets were smashed to steal gold and silver jewellery worth up to £100,000. The daughter sustained a broken ankle when struck by the fleeing car. The car was driven dangerously through Market Square, wrong way on one-way streets, damaging street furniture, and narrowly missing members of the public. The vehicle was abandoned on Alington Road. Stolen jewellery was later found hidden in a rotting tree using police dog Hunter and CCTV evidence linked the suspects.