Top of the cops: Detectives receive award for investigative work on Matlock armed bank robbery case

Offender Andrew Hall stormed into the Royal Bank of Scotland, on Snitterton Road in Matlock, with his face covered and pointing a handgun.

Hall threatened to shoot employees and forced one of the cashiers to fill a bag with money, before escaping with £4,000.

Detective Inspector Shaun McElheron and Temporary Sergeant Steve Pullar each received a Chief Constable Recommendation at a special ceremony at police headquarters. Also receiving commendations were Sergeant Jamie Mallard, Detective Constable Claire Lee and Detective Sergant Adam Suett, who were part of the investigation team.

Det Insp McElheron said: “I was pleased to get the award but it was a team effort.

“There was a lot of people working on the case, from trawling through had an and criminal particulars.

“The local people in Matlock were insensed by it and were very supportive.

He added: “We were happy with the sentence.”

The branch manager was in the back office of the bank and called the police and Hall was arrested one week later.

Hall pleaded guilty at Derby Crown Court in June last year and was jailed for nine years.

Chief Constable Mick Creedon said: “The robber pleaded his innocence right to the end, but it was the team’s overwhelming weight of evidence that secured his conviction. Well done to the team.”