Man who allegedly blew up cash machines in Black Country accidentally called 999 during raid

A man who allegedly attacked cash machines across the Black Country accidentally called 999 during one of the raids, a court has been told.

Craig Everitt was part of a gang that allegedly targeted ATMs in Walsall, Wolverhampton and Coseley by blowing them up. They left empty handed each time.

During one of the alleged attempts, he accidentally activated a feature on his phone which called the emergency services.

As the gang went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court, a prosecutor said CCTV footage from the raid matched the sound recording of the call made by emergency operators.Craig Everitt, 43, of Daley Road, Bradley, Bilston, and Matthew Stokes, 34, of Iron Foundary Drive, Coseley, have denied a charge of conspiracy to steal money from cash machines.

Jake Parkes, 24, of Powell Place, also Bradley, Bilston, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burgle.Timothy Harrington, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said the gang made six attempts to steal cash from machines in a string of raids during October and November 2018.

The first alleged attack, he said, occurred on 3 October on an ATM in High Street, Walsall.