Duo caught covered in dye after robbery

Jul 3 2009 by Gavin Pennie, Paisley Daily Express

TWO men yesterday admitted resetting £15,000 which was stolen during a raid on a security van at a bank.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Christopher Dickson, 23, and Jamie Robertson, 24, were caught 90 minutes after the robbery and had purple dye on their clothing.

Prosecutor Neil Beardmore said the duo were covered in the dye when they tried to open a money box with a power saw.

Dickson, of Green Road, and Robertson, of St Ninian’s Road, both Paisley, were originally charged with robbing two Group 4 Securicor guards of the cash on December 31, last year, in Neilston Road, Paisley.

But, yesterday, they admitted a reduced charge of resetting the money on December 31, last year, in Auchenlodment Road, Johnstone.

Mr Beardmore told the court that, just after midnight, the security guards were delivering a cash box containing £15,000 to the Bank of Scotland in Neilston Road. One of the guards went into the bank, while the other remained in the van.

Mr Beardmore added: “Two youths in dark balaclavas ran towards the guard walking towards the bank.

“He was taken by surprise and threw the box at the two. One of the youths caught it and ran off along a side street.

“A few minutes later, a car was seen to drive off towards Gleniffer Braes.”

Police searched for the car and found it abandoned in Auchenlodment Road but there was no sign of the cash box.

At 1.30am, officers stopped a car because they thought it might contain someone in breach of a curfew and found Dickson and Robertson travelling inside the vehicle as passengers.

Dickson’s shoes and Robertson’s T-shirt had purple dye on them.

Forensic analysis confirmed that the dye was caused by a small explosive device inside the cash box which is detonated when the box is not opened properly.

When questioned, both men denied any involvement in the robbery.

Eye-witnesses claimed that the robbers were aged 14 or 15.

On January 2, this year, the box with the money still inside was found by a dog walker in a field near Auchenlodment Road.

The box had been tampered with, an attempt had been made to open it using a power saw and dye was leaking from it.

Judge Lord Turnbull deferred sentence on both accused until next month.

Defence counsel Tony Lenehan and Thomas Ross will give their pleas in mitigation then.