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Two jailed for violent robbery of £45,000-worth of vapes in Cheetham Hill

They assaulted a van driver with a crowbar to get to the vapes.

Daisy Jackson - 20th July 2023

Two men have been sentenced to 12 years in prison after a violent robbery in Cheetham Hill, where they made off with £45,000-worth of vapes.

The court heard how the pair had assaulted the driver of a Mercedes Sprint Van with a crowbar, before stealing it and moving the boxes inside into their own car.

Police tracked them down a mere minute’s drive away from the scene of the incident, thanks to the van’s built-in tracker.

Karwan Salar of West Drayton, London and Ribar Karim of Douglas Towers in Bradford were found guilty of robbery and possessing an offensive weapon and jailed for 12 years at Manchester Crown Court.

The incident in question occurred on Waterloo Road in Cheetham Hill on Wednesday 11 January this year.

Salar, 31, and Karim, 35, had been the driver and passenger of an Audi A5.

They managed to bring the victim’s van to a sudden halt, then Salar exited the vehicle and began to threaten the victim for the keys to the van.

The victim was then dragged out and assaulted with a large crowbar – the injuries he sustained to his arm required hospital treatment.

He still bravely tried to stop the theft, tackling his assailant, but was eventually overpowered.

Police managed to track down Salar and Karim on Allison Street, where they discovered the van door wide open and the boxes of vapes being moved into the boot of the Audi.

Detective Constable Elson, from CID on the North Manchester District, said: “We welcome yesterday’s result, which has seen two violent and dangerous men removed from the streets of Greater Manchester for a considerable amount of time.

“We would like to thank the victim, who, not only bravely tried to defend his property from these thieves but has had the strength to support this prosecution to a satisfactory ending.

“As a Force, Greater Manchester Police are committed to identifying, locating and prosecuting anyone who breaks the law, so this court case and result should serve as a deterrent to anyone who may be thinking of entering a life of crime.

“If you or anyone you know has any information in relation to a crime being planned or undertaken, you can contact GMP via 101 or through the Live Chat function on our website www.gmp.police.uk.

“Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity – Crimestoppers – on 0800 555 111.”

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