Jail for armed robbers who hid in Findon school

Dominic Mendy and Danny Palmer wore balaclavas and each had a decommissioned handgun to rob security officers carrying money for the cash points at Tesco, off the A27 in March, 2010.

They made off with nearly 17,000.

After burning one car and crashing another, the pair hid at The Vale School, Findon Valley before they were arrested.

Mendy must serve a minimum of four years and Palmer must serve a minimum of a five-and-a-half years of indeterminate sentences.

'Terrifying spectacle'

At Chichester Crown Court today (Monday, August 23), Judge Charles Byers said this was a carefully planned and carefully executed robbery.

"You were equipped with firearms, one each, which were imitation guns but unsurprisingly realistic," he said.

"You were equipped with balaclava helmets which must have been a terrifying spectacle. The effect on the security guards has been profound."

Shortly after 8am on Monday, March 22 the two men, armed with two 9mm handguns which were later found to have been decommissioned, held up the crew of a Group 4 Securicor van delivering cash inside the store for the ATMs.

Threatened crew

The two crew members were threatened and pushed to the ground, but no shots were fired and no-one was injured.

The men ran off with a box containing the cash and got into a previously-stolen 4x4 Mercedes parked in the car park, which they drove off and abandoned in nearby Wilson Close, where it was found burnt out shortly afterwards. The men then got into a stolen silver Saab saloon which they drove off eastward.

However police units had responded swiftly and were following the Saab with the assistance of ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) and the Sussex Police helicopter.

A police car caught up with the Saab in Mill Lane, High Salvington, where the robbers reversed into the police vehicle and drove off, but abandoned the car a short distance further along the lane. The guns were later found abandoned inside the car.

Vale School

The two robbers ran off into the nearby grounds of The Vale School, Vale Avenue and after a police search two men were arrested in the school.

They had tried to hide in a roof space in the toilets, but were seen by a pupil who alerted staff. The men were arrested by armed officers as they tried to leave the school.

There was no violence during the arrests.

A holdall containing almost all the cash was found in the school foyer, together with the men's outer clothing, and the remaining 240 was found on Mendy.

Pupil's reward

The two security officers were commended by Judge Byers for their actions during the incident and the boy who disturbed the robbers was awarded 500 for his quick thinking.

Mendy and Palmer, both 31 and of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the Tesco robbery at Chichester Crown Court on June 24.

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