This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/5387768.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 2 | Version 3 |
---|---|
Escaped armed robber's car found | Escaped armed robber's car found |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Police searching for an armed robber who escaped from a prison van in Worcestershire have found a car believed to have been used in the raid. | Police searching for an armed robber who escaped from a prison van in Worcestershire have found a car believed to have been used in the raid. |
The silver Audi A3 was found at Blue Rock Place, Oldbury in the West Midlands on Wednesday afternoon. It was stolen in Sutton Coldfield on Monday. | |
The raid happened as Craig Hickinbottom was being transferred from a Redditch court to Blakenhurst Prison. | The raid happened as Craig Hickinbottom was being transferred from a Redditch court to Blakenhurst Prison. |
Police warned people not to approach the 24-year-old from Bromsgrove. | |
Hickinbottom, serving a five-year and 11-month term, had been in court on Wednesday on a motoring charge. | Hickinbottom, serving a five-year and 11-month term, had been in court on Wednesday on a motoring charge. |
Masked men stopped his security van in Hewell Lane, Redditch, on Wednesday afternoon and threatened security staff with a handgun. | Masked men stopped his security van in Hewell Lane, Redditch, on Wednesday afternoon and threatened security staff with a handgun. |
'Clean-shaven' | 'Clean-shaven' |
One of the men is described as about 5ft 8in tall and of medium build and was wearing dark clothing and spoke with a Birmingham accent. | |
The Audi was found later the same day and is undergoing forensic tests. | |
Forensic test are being carried out on the stolen car | |
Hickinbottom has connections in Oldbury, police said. | |
Det Ch Insp Kevin Purcell, of West Mercia Police, said: "Clearly Hickinbottom and the men who assisted in his escape had taken time to plan and organise this but we are keeping an open mind as to how this occurred." | |
Hickinbottom was jailed for two armed robberies committed in Stourbridge and Kingswinford in 2002. | Hickinbottom was jailed for two armed robberies committed in Stourbridge and Kingswinford in 2002. |
He was released from prison on licence in June but was recalled a few days later. | He was released from prison on licence in June but was recalled a few days later. |
The convict is described as white, of medium build and about 5ft 11in tall. | The convict is described as white, of medium build and about 5ft 11in tall. |
He has blue eyes and close cropped ginger hair and wears a beard at times but was believed to be clean-shaven at the time of his escape. | He has blue eyes and close cropped ginger hair and wears a beard at times but was believed to be clean-shaven at the time of his escape. |