Two men have been arrested by police investigating a spate of armed raids on major supermarkets across the north east of England.
The suspects have been charged with five armed robberies and six burglaries, committed between July 2008 and May this year.
Some of the raids were carried out in the early hours by masked men who threatened staff with shotguns and machetes, before using a getaway car to escape with cash tills. Police say no weapons were discharged but staff were left badly shocked.
Detectives have never released the full amount of money taken in the raids, although it is believed to be substantial.
The robberies took place at: Morrisons in Whitley Bay on 23 November 2008; Tesco Express, Whitley Bay, on 6 February, 2009; Asda in Gosforth on 5 May 2009 and Asda at The MetroCentre in Gateshead, on 26 May 2009.
The burglaries occurred at: Sainsbury's in Forum Way, Cramlington on 31 July 2008 and 12 January 2009; Sainsbury's in Heaton, on November 2 2008; Sainsbury's in Whitley Bay on 7 December 2008; Asda in Gosforth, on 15 December 2008 and Sainsbury's in Forest Hall, on 26 January 2009.
Northumbria Police named the arrested men as Phillip Peter Curry, aged 32, from Buddle Terrace, West Allotment, North Tyneside and Stephen Moat, aged 37, from Ripley Avenue, North Shields. They were due to appear before North Tyneside Magistrates on Thursday 26 November.
The suspects have been charged with five armed robberies and six burglaries, committed between July 2008 and May this year.
Some of the raids were carried out in the early hours by masked men who threatened staff with shotguns and machetes, before using a getaway car to escape with cash tills. Police say no weapons were discharged but staff were left badly shocked.
Detectives have never released the full amount of money taken in the raids, although it is believed to be substantial.
The robberies took place at: Morrisons in Whitley Bay on 23 November 2008; Tesco Express, Whitley Bay, on 6 February, 2009; Asda in Gosforth on 5 May 2009 and Asda at The MetroCentre in Gateshead, on 26 May 2009.
The burglaries occurred at: Sainsbury's in Forum Way, Cramlington on 31 July 2008 and 12 January 2009; Sainsbury's in Heaton, on November 2 2008; Sainsbury's in Whitley Bay on 7 December 2008; Asda in Gosforth, on 15 December 2008 and Sainsbury's in Forest Hall, on 26 January 2009.
Northumbria Police named the arrested men as Phillip Peter Curry, aged 32, from Buddle Terrace, West Allotment, North Tyneside and Stephen Moat, aged 37, from Ripley Avenue, North Shields. They were due to appear before North Tyneside Magistrates on Thursday 26 November.
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