A VIOLENT robber from Bury who helped plan a series of armed raids in Bolton has been jailed.

Nathan Vanden was part of a “ruthless conspiracy” which led to a jewellers and a convenience store in the town being targeted by an armed mob.

The gang also raided a house in Bradshaw, stealing cars worth £60,000.

Yesterday, Vanden, aged 19, of Rochdale Old Road, Bury, and his seven co-conspirators were jailed for a total of more than 50 years.

He was not linked to all of their crimes, but had involvement in planning nine, three of which happened in Bolton.

Members of the gang raided a jewellery shop in Lytham.

The first was at a house in Bradshaw Hall Drive, Bradshaw, on June 18, 2007. Vanden’s gang threw a large plant through a ground-floor window and stole a silver BMW 530, worth £45,000, and a £15,000 Mini Cooper.

The second incident was a raid on Prestons of Bolton in Deansgate on July 12, 2007. The gang — armed with a shotgun, axes and sledge hammers — burst into the store and smashed through display cases. They escaped with £108,000 worth of Rolex watches and fled in a stolen black Golf GTi which they later abandoned.

In the final raid in Bolton in which Vanden admitted involvement, the Spar shop in St Helens Road, Daubhill, was targeted by masked robbers.

The gang, armed with a crowbar and sledge hammer, targeted Group 4 security guards making a delivery to the cash machine. They threatened staff and escaped in a stolen Ford Focus with a cash box containing £47,000 on August 16.

The court heard that was involved in a further six robberies in the region in which cars, cash and possessions were stolen.

In one incident members of the gang who were being chased by a police car stopped, then ran at the vehicle brandishing mechetes.

In the nine incidents he played a part in, the cars stolen were worth £317,000, while value of property stolen was £708,000.

Vanden pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to rob.

Yesterday, he was jailed for 11 years.

Seven other men from Greater Manchester were also sentenced yesterday to a total of 40 years.