Two men from Cornwall jailed after gunpoint robbery in Yelverton
Two men from Launceston have been jailed for their roles in a gunpoint robbery in Yelverton which they carried out on 29 January.
Jack Felton, 24, and John Chapman, 43, both formerly of North Petherwin, Launceston, have now been sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court.
At a previous hearing Felton pleaded guilty to robbery and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. He was sentenced to four years and nine months in April.
Chapman pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced to three years and two months on Monday 11 August.
The court heard Felton contacted the victim’s business under the guise of changing a tyre on his BMW. The victim turned up in his van at the agreed location where Felton climbed into the passenger seat, pulled out a replica gun and held it against the victim’s temple.
Felton demanded the victim hand over his bracelet, which was worth around £13k, and his phone, which the victim complied with.
He told the victim to get out of the car, and as he did, Chapman ‘appeared from nowhere’ with his hoodie drawn tightly over his face, to conceal his identity.
The two men told the victim repeatedly to get in the back of his van before slamming the door and locking him in.
The side door of the van had not locked properly, so he was able to open it and see the two men drive away in the BMW.
Immediately after, at 2.10pm, the victim called police to Buckland Terrace, where the incident occurred, and reported that he had been held up at gunpoint and robbed.
Police deployed an armed response, supported by the police helicopter to search for the offenders and traced them back to a property in North Petherwin, Launceston, where they were arrested and taken into custody that same afternoon.
Both men provided a no comment interview but were charged and later pleaded guilty to the offences.
Investigating Officer, DC Ali Cornforth said: “This result has been a testament to the collaborative effort of officers across the force to deal with a serious incident with relentless professionalism and efficiency.
“This result would not have been possible without the courage of the victim to assist in the investigation after such a traumatic experience, and we thank them for their support and bravery.”
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