Crime
Masked robber goes down for 7 years still refusing to name accomplice
Only one of two masked men who broke into a house, threatened the home owner, and forced the victim to withdraw money from an ATM has been caught.
Darren Powell, 42, was jailed for more than seven years for the robbery but has not given up the name of his accomplice.
Powell, 42, and his accomplice, who were both masked, smashed the rear patio door of the house in New Barns, Ely, at about 10.10pm on 31 December last year.
The victim was ordered to sit on the floor and was watched over by the accomplice while Powell went upstairs.
The victim was threatened and asked where cash and keys to a Porsche parked outside were kept but he didn’t know.
Powell took the victim outside and unsuccessfully tried to access the Porsche.
Darren Powell, 42, and an accomplice, who were both masked, smashed the rear patio door of the house in New Barns, Ely, at about 10.10pm on 31 December last year.
They went back inside the house and Powell took the victim to his room where he handed over money from his wallet.
Powell also forced the victim to go with him to the ATM at Waitrose, in Bray’s Lane, and withdraw £250.
On the way back, he threatened to hurt the victim and his family if he gave evidence in court.
Back at the house, Powell again threatened the victim by grabbing his collar and saying, “You didn’t see us.”
He went upstairs again, smashing walls, before telling the victim to walk along the road and not return for 10 minutes.
When the victim came back, the robbers had left, taking a 65-inch television, passport, old bank cards, cufflinks, male fragrance and £1,000 in cash.
Powell was arrested on 13 January this year at a property in Abbott’s Way, Ely.
The accomplice has not been identified.
On Wednesday (17 May), at Huntingdon Law Courts, Powell, of Hitches Street, Littleport, was jailed for seven years and six months, having pleaded guilty to robbery.
Detective Sergeant Beccy Steel said: “Powell is a prolific offender and subjected his victim to a terrifying and violent ordeal, so I am pleased he has faced justice.
“This was a targeted attack and thankfully this type of crime is rare.”
