Attempted Tesco ram raid sees Cheltenham man jailed for two years

A 25-year-old Cheltenham man has been sentenced to two years in prison following a failed, middle-of-the-night ram raid at a Tesco superstore in Bishop's Cleeve.

The Incident

In the early hours of December 6, 2023, Jack Bradley and two accomplices drove a white van at high speed into the entrance of the Tesco superstore on Church Road. At the time of the break-in, staff members inside the store were stacking shelves. CCTV footage showed the suspects clearing out Christmas trees from the store atrium before reversing the van multiple times into the main steel shutters in an attempt to breach them.

Terrified Staff and Failed Escape

Despite five or six high-impact attempts, the suspects succeeded only in denting the steel shutters. Terrified shop workers called 999. Fleeing empty-handed, Bradley made his escape in the white van, which was later abandoned. Police forensic teams recovered crucial DNA evidence from the scene and the vehicle, including a discarded tissue, the van's steering wheel, and a vape pen, which directly linked Bradley to the crime.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Bradley was prosecuted at Gloucester Crown Court. While his defense claimed he was an unwilling participant who acted under the direction of the other two men, he was found guilty of committing burglary other than a dwelling with intent to steal. Judge Lawrie KC described the crime as a "spectacularly stupid thing to do regardless of how incompetently it was carried out," emphasizing that it was a planned group action that caused significant damage and left staff extremely frightened. Bradley was jailed for two years.