Ryan Setchell targeted five businesses, including a McDonalds and a hotel, and threatened staff with knives, hammers and crowbars
A serial robber who threatened staff with weapons and stole £5,000 in cash and tobacco from stores in Coventry has been jailed for eight years.
Ryan Setchell targeted five businesses, including a McDonalds and a hotel, over three weeks last year and threatened staff with knives, hammers and crowbars before making off with takings.
The 30-year-old brandished a knife at a night porter at the Days Hotel in Holyhead Road, Coundon, in the early hours of June 16 before cycling off with guests’ cash deposits.
On July 2 he stole takings from a Tesco Express in Holyhead Road.
He robbed McDonalds in nearby Alvis Retail Park at 4.30am on July 7, and later that day raided One Stop in Westhill Road, Coundon.
But West Midlands Police caught him two days later, minutes after he stole cash, booze and cigarettes from Meriden Co-op in The Green.
He was seen driving off in a Ford Fiesta following the robbery at around 8pm.
After a brief pursuit Setchell crashed and police arrested him. They recovered a cash box full of bank notes and four knives from the vehicle.
Setchell covered his face during the robberies but, crucially, detectives found CCTV of him unmasked while conducting a recce of the Tesco store earlier in the day and riding off on a blue bike that was used to commit other offences.
He was charged with five counts of robbery and, at Warwick Crown Court on January 31, was jailed for eight years. He will be subject to an extended four-year licence period upon his eventual release.
Speaking afterwards, Det Con Steve Phillips from Force CID in Coventry, said: “No-one was seriously hurt but we can’t underestimate the psychological impact on staff when threatened with weapons; they were subjected to terrifying ordeals and I’m glad the sentence handed down reflects the gravity of the offences.
“Our enquiries suggested Setchell was considering upping the ante and attacking building societies so it was important that we apprehended him quickly.
“Staff working in businesses across Coventry should feel reassured and safer in their workplace now that Setchell has been taken out of society for a long time.”
I'm surprised he didn't rob the Londis store opposite Days Hotel or the garage shop outside Morrisons?
