THE manager of Walton’s jewellers has thanked the police and the public for their support in bringing the armed robbers to justice.
The three robbers, who targeted the store in 2006, were jailed last week for a total of 28 years at Birmingham Crown Court.
Richard Hogben, general manager of Waltons of Chester, said: “We are pleased with the sentences and would like to thank the police for all their hard work and consideration throughout.
“A wealth of information was passed on to the police as a result of CrimeWatch and Waltons of Chester would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for their support.
“We received many positive and supportive comments in our shops, in Wrexham at The Cross, on Bridge Street Row and on Eastgate Street, following the programme and our staff have been brilliant.”
Waltons of Chester offered its full support to Cheshire Police and the BBC TV crew for the reconstruction for BBC1’s CrimeWatch, which was aired on March 5, 2007.
They have since made a major investment in increased security to their Eastgate shop, which has a new frontage.
Simon Waller, 29, of Elmdale Crescent, Northfield, West Midlands, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit armed robbery and was sentenced to nine years.
The trial of his accomplices, Elliott Albert Burton, 38, of Southacre Avenue, Birmingham, and Luke Aaron Nash, 24, of Newlyn Road, also in Northfield, resulted in a jury finding both men guilty of conspiracy to commit an armed robbery.
Nash was sentenced to seven years and Burton, who failed to attend the final two days of his trial and is still at large, was sentenced in his absence to 12 years.
Cheshire Police say ongoing efforts are being made nationally to apprehend Burton including an appeal on BBC TV’s Crimewatch last month.
