A bank raider who ripped out a cash machine and loaded it on to a truck before leading a dangerous chase across London has been jailed for five years.

Paul Thompson, of Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush, was behind the wheel of a seven-and-a-half ton truck which had been specially fitted with a hydraulic arm to wrench the ATM out of a Barclays branch in Finchley Road, Golders Green.

Thompson and two accomplices struck at around 3am on July 25 last year, using a spy camera on the back bumper to guide the metal arm into position from the driver's seat.

But undercover Flying Squad officers were ready pounce, chasing the thief round the north circular road for more than 10 miles as Thompson rammed his truck into six pursuing police cars.

The 40-year-old was eventually cornered in an industrial estate in Walthamstow, close to his gang's warehouse – at which point Thompson reversed at speed into the squad cars that had followed him.

After a violent struggle he was eventually pulled from the truck and arrested.

His two fellow thieves were spotted in a van close to bank, and also put up a fight before being overpowered. Two officers injured during the arrests needed hospital treatment for shoulder and head injuries.

A raid of the warehouse revealed a laser cutter and a hoard of other specialist equipment used to disable alarms and carry out complicated raids, and the gang was eventually linked to 13 burglaries spanning London and the south east.

Thompson admitted five charges of conspiracy to commit burglary, along with dangerous driving and driving while disqualified, and was sentenced to five years in prison at Wood Green Crown Court last Friday(MARCH 19). He was also disqualified from driving for five years.

Darren Rutter, 32, of Chigwell, admitted three counts of conspiracy to commit burglary and was jailed for three years and four months.

Jason Perry, 38, of Leyton, admitted nine charges of conspiracy to commit burglary and was jailed for five years and eight months and disqualified from driving for 18 months.

Detective Inspector David Malcolm, of Finchley Flying Squad, said: "The evidence against this gang of three is not only overwhelming but testimony to how much planning and precision they used to commit crime.

"This team went to great lengths to ensure that they had specialist equipment to aid them in their criminal activities.

"At the time of their arrests, Rutter, Thompson and Perry had absolutely no regard for anyone's safety. I would like to acknowledge the forward thinking and bravery of the officers at the Finchley Flying Squad, two of whom were injured during the course of the arrest, and thank them for keeping disruption to members of the public to a minimum."