An “SAS-style” gang of armed robbers which terrorised shops, petrol stations and building societies across East Anglia has been jailed.

The gang, dressed in black uniforms and balaclavas, armed themselves with machetes, firearms and Tasers to carry out the robberies in east London, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.

The ringleader, Danny Speed, 30, of Eisenhower Drive, Beckton, was jailed for 20 years after being convicted in January of four armed robberies and three counts of conspiracy to burgle between 2007 and 2009.

Mark Richards, 30, of South Hall Drive, Rainham, Essex, previously admitted three armed robberies and three counts of conspiracy to burgle between 2007 and 2009. He was jailed for 13 years.

The other defendants were convicted for robbery offences between 2007 and 2009 amounting to �500,000 in cash being stolen, as well as the theft of a significant number of high-performance vehicles.

Detective Inspector Jason Hendy said: “This result follows a lengthy operation designed to target violent individuals who would stop at nothing to secure large sums of money by force.

“They operated as a professional criminal network making sure they stole the best vehicles to carry out the most brazen raids. We dedicated significant resources to track them down and ensure we built a strong case to present to court.

“The convictions demonstrate our commitment to deal with violent and organised crime in our communities.”