Armed robber Lee Tansey terrorised the North in a bloody crime spree before his dramatic capture

It reads like the plot of a brutal gangster thriller. But for victims, police and communities across the North of England, Lee Tansey’s reign of terror was chillingly real. The Salford-born criminal orchestrated a series of violent armed robberies, leaving behind a trail of blood, shattered lives and nearly half a million pounds in stolen cash.

Tansey, described as “fuelled by greed” and arrogant enough to believe he would never be caught, began his savage crime spree in blood-soaked fashion. During a raid on a Darwen bank, he sliced open his arm on broken glass while forcing entry. With blood pouring from his hoodie, Tansey astonishingly continued the robbery, helping his armed gang steal £43,000 before fleeing the scene in a stolen Audi.

But the Darwen heist was merely the start of his rampage. Within weeks, Tansey and his crew escalated their attacks, targeting a Halifax bank in a brutal ambush. Armed with machetes, crowbars and sledgehammers, they terrorised security drivers, forcing them to hand over £175,000 at knifepoint. One terrified victim later told police he thought he was going to die as the gang struck him with a machete.

Still unsatisfied, Tansey’s gang hit a Huddersfield bank days later. They stormed the premises, battering staff and emptying the safe as frightened employees cowered in fear. Within just one month, Tansey and his accomplices had stolen close to £500,000, leaving a string of traumatised victims in their wake.

But it was Tansey’s reckless arrogance that ultimately led to his downfall. A high-speed chase through the streets of Manchester — labelled by a judge as “the worst dangerous driving I’ve ever seen” — ended with the gang abandoning their getaway cars and fleeing through the bustling Arndale Centre. Despite initially slipping away, police eventually tracked them down through meticulous detective work.

Faced with imminent capture, Tansey fled to Spain where he remained on the run for two years. But his lavish lifestyle abroad, complete with nightclub photos flaunted on social media, would prove his undoing. Spanish authorities arrested him and extradited him back to Britain, sealing his fate.

Jailed for 11 years, Tansey was eventually released. But freedom did little to change his ways. He quickly returned to organised crime, masterminding a fresh wave of robberies while his gang posed as builders to avoid suspicion. Their targets included jewellers and banks across the North, where terrified staff were threatened with guns and forced to hand over hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash and valuables.

Once again, it took painstaking police surveillance and covert operations to dismantle his gang. This time, there would be no escape. Tansey was sentenced to a further 21 years behind bars for his latest string of violent crimes.

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Swan, who led the investigation, described Tansey as “a dangerous, ruthless individual who thought he was untouchable.” He praised the courage of the victims and the tireless work of detectives who pursued Tansey across two countries to bring him to justice.

For many across Greater Manchester and the North, Tansey’s brutal story remains a stark reminder of the dangers posed by violent organised crime. His reign may be over, but the scars left on his victims — and the communities he terrorised — remain long after the courtroom doors have closed.

As police continue to battle the rising threat of armed gangs, Tansey’s downfall serves as a message: no matter how audacious, no criminal is truly beyond the reach of justice.