Man, 25, sentenced to two years in prison after DNA links him to Tesco ram raid attempt

  • Watch the moment a Tesco branch in Gloucestershire is rammed in a bid to steal a safe

A man has been jailed for two years after DNA evidence linked him to an attempted ram raid at a Tesco supermarket in Gloucestershire last year.

Jack Bradley, 25, of HMP Hewell, pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal.

The incident occurred in the early hours of 6 December 2023, when a group of men used a Mercedes 4x4 to try to force their way into the Tesco Superstore on Church Road in Bishop Cleeve's.

CCTV footage showed the group clearing the foyer of Christmas wreaths, display shelves, and baskets before ramming metal shutters with the vehicle in an attempt to access the main supermarket.

Staff were working inside at the time, but the group left without stealing anything.

Jack Bradley pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal Credit: Gloucestershire Constabulary

Repairs cost nearly £80,000, and the store had to close for the day, resulting in an estimated £120,000 loss in sales and wages.

Bradley became a suspect after his DNA was found on a tissue left in the supermarket car park and inside a stolen van abandoned near the scene.

Forensic analysis of the van revealed his DNA on the steering wheel, gear stick, handbrake, a vape, and a screwdriver.

When interviewed by police in February 2024, Bradley admitted he planned to take a safe if the raid had succeeded. He was already serving a three-year sentence for unrelated burglary offences at the time of his arrest.

Bradley became a suspect after his DNA was found on a tissue. Credit: Gloucestershire Constabulary

In court, his lawyer argued that Bradley had a drug addiction and was pressured into participating in the raid by people he feared.

Bradley’s sentence will run concurrently with his existing prison term, and he has also been ordered to pay a £187 surcharge.

PC Hancock, the investigating officer, said: “I am pleased that Bradley has been sentenced as his actions on 6 December last year had a huge impact on those involved. It affected the community of Bishop’s Cleeve as well as Tesco and its employees.

"This would’ve been a very frightening experience for the members of staff who were in the building at the time of the attempted ram raid.”