A getaway driver for an armed gang carrying out heists on security vans in Kent and Hants, was a convict on the run.
Jason Colliver, 30, was serving a 10-year jail term - when he strolled out of an open prison.
Four months later, he had joined a three-man gang shadowing security guards delivering cash to building societies.
The robbers - armed with sledgehammers - smashed their way into a Halifax bank in Ramsgate in October last year - escaping with £32,000 in cash.
Two weeks later, they carried out a copycat attack at a Halifax in New Milton, this time netting £102,000.
But Canterbury Crown Court heard that when they carrying out their third attack in November, the police were waiting
The gang was trailed from London to Ramsgate, Broadstairs and then Canterbury.
Prosecutor Christopher May said: “Colliver, together with others, was involved in organised, planned and professional robberies of security guards delivering large sum of cash from security vans during the autumn of 2008.”
Colliver - who is now serving the rest of his 10 year jail term in Belmarsh - watched on prison CCTV as details of his attacks were outlined.
He had absconded from Ford Open Prison on June 3 2008 while serving his sentence for conspiracy to rob. He had completed five years.
Colliver, of north London, pleaded guilty to two robberies, conspiracy to rob and burglary.
“His particular role involved driving others away immediately after the attacks.”
Robbery One: took place at the Halifax in Queen Street, Ramsgate when the raiders, in a stolen Bentley Continental Coupe, were seen in Harbour Road and the High Street.
Two men walked into the bank carrying sledgehammers, which were used to smash their way into the branch.The guards were forced to the floor and the men made off with at least £32,000 in cash.
The getaway car was later found in Southwood Road, Ramsgate with two sledgehammers in the bank. Police traced them back to a hardware store near Colliver’s home in Holly Park Estate in north London.
Robbery Two: happened on November 4 when a Group4 Securicor van, delivering to a Halifax branch in New Milton was attacked by men with sledgehammers. They escaped with £102,000.
Robbery Three: is believed to have been thwarted when a policeman spotted Colliver doing an illegal turn in Bridge Street, Canterbury on November 25.
Flying Squad officers had been watching the gang as they travelled from London to Kent in a three-car convoy.
Police believe they were shadowing a Group 4 Securicor van on its rounds of ATMs.The stolen cars - one driven by Colliver - stopped at the Somerfield Garage on the A299 Minster Road near Ramsgate.
The three vehicles then travelled to Marina Road in Ramsgate, and on into Wellington Crescent when the G4S van was making its deliveries.
They then followed it to Broadstairs and on into Canterbury where Colliver, in the Chrysler Crossfire, made his blunder.
Uniformed officers spotted him making an illegal turn and a high-speed car chase ended with the Chrysler crashing at the roundabout in Tourtel Road.
Colliver ran away but was caught by police - who initially thought they had nabbed a drink-driver.
Mr May added: “The Crown says the gang was shadowing the van as it made its rounds in Thanet and were looking for the right moment to execute the robbery. Instead, they were caught by police.”
Emma Goodall, defending, said Colliver had walked out of Ford Open Prison because some of his fellow inmates were being moved to higher category prisons..and he feared he was next.
But after escaping, he couldn’t get a job and ended up with the gang of robbers.

'Implicit threat'

Sentencing Colliver on Monday, Judge Adele Williams concluded he posed a significant risk of causing serious harm to the public by committing further serious offences in the future and passed a sentence for public protection. She directed Colliver serve at least eight and a half years before parole could be considered but he will only released if no longer considered to pose a threat.
“I bear in mind no firearms or imitation firearms were used in these robberies and no serious physical harm caused but the use of sledgehammers in their execution and as an implicit threat, give rise to the risk of serious harm in the future should anyone get in the way.”
“In addition, the trauma fear and shock of being robbed in circumstances such as these creates the risk of serious psychological harm,” said Judge Williams.
The reason for her conclusions were Colliver’s previous conviction for conspiracy to rob, absconding and 'the ruthless and professional manner in which these offences were committed.’