Robber dressed in girlfriend's sheep pyjamas is caught after taking 'selfie'
AN armed robber who wore his girlfriend's pyjamas emblazoned with cartoon sheep on a raid was captured after police found ‘selfies’ of him wearing the same PJs.
Terry Sullivan, 24, denied being part of a string of violent robberies but when officers searched his phone they found pictures of him wearing the same PJs he wore at one of his crimes.
The evidence helped officers arrest and convict a gang of four men that targeted shops to seal cash, cigarettes and scratch cards between November 2011 and June 2012.
Maidstone Crown Court heard the robbers had also created a Blackberry messenger group called 'armed robbers' where one person posted a picture posing with a handgun.
All four were found guilty and they will be sentenced next month.
Detective Sergeant Andy Nicoll said: "Despite showing a level of forensic awareness some of the men became sloppy, taking 'selfies' on their mobile phones.
"Whether this was narcissistic or not, it became their downfall and before long there was a wealth of unquestionable evidence stacking up against them.
"The men's desire to parade themselves as gangsters ultimately led them to jail."
The gang targeted newsagents and convenience stores in violent raids in Kent and Sussex which left staff terrified.
The robbers brandished knives and in some cases a handgun, and they also attacked a Lincolnshire home in an attempt to steal the property before the owner fought them off.
Detectives found a ‘selfie’ of Sullivan wearing his girlfriend's pyjamas that matched CCTV footage of him after they swooped on his home.
Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate officers went on to arrest Sullivan along with Thomas Balderston, 24, Christopher Aldred, 23, Christopher Heath, 31.
Sullivan and Heath admitted their guilt earlier while Balderston and Aldred pleaded not guilty but were tried by a jury at the same court.
Mr Nicoll, who oversaw the investigation, added: "The crimes carried out by these four men were violent and often terrified the victims.
"The offenders were forceful, threatening and brazen and left the staff in those shops feeling that if they did not comply, then serious harm would come to them."