[B]urglars who rammed a police car, threw a hammer out of the window and set off a fire extinguisher in a bid to evade officers have today been jailed.
Marcus Cameron (20/09/1989), of no fixed address but formally of Tonge Moor, and Liam Harbour (02/05/1986), of no fixed address but formally of Breightmet, were sentenced to two years and eight months and 16 months, respectively.
Cameron was also banned from driving for five years and four months.
The pair had carried out a burglary at Maze Convenience Store on Brandlesholme Road, Bury in the early hours of Tuesday 17 October 2017 causing £5,000 worth of damage.
Officers were patrolling when they were alerted to the shop’s alarm and as they arrived at the scene they saw the duo fleeing with stolen cigarettes and float money.
PC Ian Bruce managed to track down the offenders who had jumped into a dark green Ford Mondeo before speeding off towards Tottington.
During the pursuit – which reached up 70mph on residential roads – getaway driver Cameron rammed the police car on several occasions causing more than £14,000 worth of damage and injuring an officer in the process.
Passenger Harbour also set off a fire extinguisher before throwing a claw hammer out of the window in a bid to get officers off their tail.
A stinger was deployed and tactical contact was used to eventually bring the car to a halt.
Harbour was arrested at the scene but Cameron tried to flee before being tracked by a helicopter.
The judge praised PC Bruce for his diligent work.
Cameron pleaded guilty to burglary, dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and having no insurance. Harbour admitted burglary.
Chief Inspector Mark Dexter, from GMP’s Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit, said: “These men did everything they could to try and evade being arrested, going as far as throwing a hammer out of a window and driving at breakneck speeds.
“They were prepared to put the lives of others at risk all for cigarettes stolen in a burglary.
“Their actions were reckless, dangerous and could have had potentially devastating consequences.
“These men assumed they could outsmart us and ultimately they thought they were going to get away with committing a serious crime.
“However, they are now following a different road – one which takes them directly to prison.”
