Southampton Robber Caught After Brazen £17,500 McDonald’s Heist
Aaron Folan, 40, of Exeter Close, Southampton, has been locked up for 5 years and 1 month at Southampton Crown Court on Friday, January 13.
He admitted to a string of crimes including robbery, vehicle theft, two counts of Class A drug possession, and two shoplifting offences.
Violent Cashbox Theft at McDonald’s Ends in Van Getaway
The daring robbery unfolded at 11:50 a.m. on October 12, 2020. A G4S driver had just picked up a cashbox holding £17,500 from McDonald’s in Swaythling. As he returned to his van in the car park, Folan shoved him to the ground and kicked him. Wearing protective gear, the driver escaped with minor grazes.
Folan snatched the cashbox and sprinted to a nearby white Transit van parked at a bus stop on Burgess Road before bolting off. Police have yet to recover the stolen cash.
Drug Stashes and Car Theft Add to Crime Spree
Police arrested Folan on December 17, 2020, at a Hill Lane address. They found Class A drugs flushed down a toilet and wrapped on his person.
On December 18, 2021, Folan broke into Hollybrook Car Centre, also in Hill Lane, and stole a Volvo early morning. The vehicle was later posted on social media, parked safely on Wavell Road in Bitterne.
DNA evidence from the steering wheel tied Folan to the stolen car.
Shoplifting and Theft Spell the End for Folan
- October 8, 2022: Stole two crates of beer from 1 Express, West End Road.
- December 14, 2022: Swiped Lego sets worth £340 from John Lewis, West Quay.
“Folan’s crime spree has come to an end now that he is behind bars,” said a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesman. “Robbery is a serious crime and vehicle theft devastates our communities. This conviction shows we’ll go the extra mile to catch offenders.”
“We urge the public to keep reporting crime. Help us track down thieves and robbers.”
If you have information, call 101, submit an online report, or ring anonymously on 0800 555 111.
