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| 'Skull Cracker' Michael Wheatley may have struck again as police respond to armed robbery in Surrey | 'Skull Cracker' Michael Wheatley may have struck again as police respond to armed robbery in Surrey |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The fugitive bank robber Michael Wheatley, known as the "Skull Cracker", may have struck again while on the run from police. | |
| Officers are investigating whether Wheatley, 55, is linked to a robbery at a branch of the Chelsea Building Society in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey at 10.20am today. | |
| Surrey Police said they were working with Kent Police while they carried out ongoing enquiries. Wheatley went missing while on temporary leave from an open prison in Kent. | Surrey Police said they were working with Kent Police while they carried out ongoing enquiries. Wheatley went missing while on temporary leave from an open prison in Kent. |
| The fugitive was last spotted on Tuesday in Twickenham, less than six miles from Sunbury itself. | The fugitive was last spotted on Tuesday in Twickenham, less than six miles from Sunbury itself. |
| A spokesperson for Surrey Police said: "At 10.20am today Surrey Police responded to reports of an armed robbery at a building society in Sunbury. The incident took place at the Chelsea Building Society at The Parade, Staines Road. | A spokesperson for Surrey Police said: "At 10.20am today Surrey Police responded to reports of an armed robbery at a building society in Sunbury. The incident took place at the Chelsea Building Society at The Parade, Staines Road. |
| "Officers, including specialist firearms officers, are currently at the scene. Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident and has not already spoken to police should call 101." | "Officers, including specialist firearms officers, are currently at the scene. Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident and has not already spoken to police should call 101." |
| Wheatley is due to serve 13 life sentences and gained his nickname for pistol-whipping his victims during armed raids. | Wheatley is due to serve 13 life sentences and gained his nickname for pistol-whipping his victims during armed raids. |
| Wheatley failed to return on Sunday to the Standford Hill prison on the Isle of Sheppey to continue serving his life term imposed in 2002 for raids on banks and building societies while on parole. He has links across the south-east of England. | Wheatley failed to return on Sunday to the Standford Hill prison on the Isle of Sheppey to continue serving his life term imposed in 2002 for raids on banks and building societies while on parole. He has links across the south-east of England. |
| His escape has prompted the prisons minister, Jeremy Wright, to launch a review. "We are not prepared to see public safety compromised," he said. "The system has been too lax up to now and we are changing that." | His escape has prompted the prisons minister, Jeremy Wright, to launch a review. "We are not prepared to see public safety compromised," he said. "The system has been too lax up to now and we are changing that." |
| Tory MP Philip Davies said: "It is ludicrous that a prisoner serving a life sentence is even in an open prison where they can simply walk out. | Tory MP Philip Davies said: "It is ludicrous that a prisoner serving a life sentence is even in an open prison where they can simply walk out. |
| "As far as I am concerned whoever allowed him to be in an open prison should be sacked; it is a complete disgrace." | "As far as I am concerned whoever allowed him to be in an open prison should be sacked; it is a complete disgrace." |