Anthony Mullen, 45, of no fixed address, has been jailed for 19 years at Birmingham Crown Court on August 7 after a ten-day crime spree across Birmingham and Sandwell in January this year. The spree included storming a bank on Bearwood Road with a meat cleaver and demanding money from staff.
Crime spree began with burglary and theft
The offences started on January 12 at around 12pm when Mullen broke into an address in Bearwood Road and stole a bank card, which he used to purchase a new phone later the same day. The following day, at 2.20pm, he broke into a house on nearby Anderson Road by smashing a window with a plant pot, stealing spare car keys, gin, and jewellery.
Realising the car was not there, he returned hours later and stole a Kia from the drive to make his escape. His crimes continued with more burglaries at businesses and homes, along with driving offences.
Bank robbery with meat cleaver
On Tuesday, January 20, Mullen entered a bank on Bearwood Road armed with a meat cleaver and demanded money from staff. Witnesses stated he waved the weapon around in a threatening manner and told staff not to use their panic alarms. However, one worker bravely pressed an emergency button, and Mullen quickly grabbed an iPad before fleeing the scene.
The following day, officers on patrol around the Sanden Road area in Birmingham spotted Mullen. He was detained and arrested on suspicion of 17 offences including robbery, burglary, possession of a weapon, and fraud.
Arrest and sentencing
PC Lucy Lea, of Birmingham Neighbourhood Crime Team, said: “Mullen was a dangerous criminal who committed a series of serious offences in just ten days. Thanks to good local knowledge, officers were able to identify Mullen as the offender from CCTV footage, and we were able to detain him. He will now be behind bars for a long period of time due to the violence and threats that were made during his crime spree.”
Mullen was charged and jailed for 19 years at Birmingham Crown Court on August 7.
