A JUDGE has handed out a reward to a quick-thinking woman who took a photograph of a teenage raider before he donned a mask to take part in a £22,000 smash and grab at a Wrexham jewellers shop.

Angela Leszko saw Ben Coffin, 19, and his balaclava-clad accomplices jump on a motorbike and head off into town to carry out the raid which left members of staff at Martin Rees Jewellers in Chester Street traumatised.

The gang smashed the shop’s front windows before making off with £22,785 worth of jewellery, which was never recovered.

Coffin, who was brandishing a spade which he used to smash the shop’s windows, was identified after Ms Leszko handed a photo to police.

Judge David Hale told Mold Crown Court: “Without the foresight of a member of the public who took a picture of the defendant he would not be standing where he is now.

"I am going to award £200 as a reward out of public funds to Ms Leszko.”

Coffin was sentenced to 10 months in youth custody last December after admitting two charges of handling a large quantity of stolen goods, including clothing worth £8,500 taken from a burglary at the Ragazzi store in Wrexham.

In sentencing the teenager this time to 30 months in a young offenders institution, the judge said the previous offences should have been dealt with together with the jewellers’ break-in.

Coffin, of Heol Y Waun, Bradley, Wrexham, initially denied burglary at Martin Rees on June 19 last year, but changed his plea to one of guilty before a trial was due to start.

Prosecutor Jade Tufail told Mold Crown Court that Ms Leszko challenged Coffin after he changed into a dark-coloured shirt and jump onto the bike.

She said to him: “That’s not your bike”, but Coffin told her they had a key and as she felt threatened she retreated to her car.

Onlookers later saw the bike travelling along Anthony Eden Way, Caia Park, without a number plate.

At the jewellers the gang got out and started banging on the window before smashing the glass as staff and customers cowered inside.

“They were terrified and were screaming, but one of the staff led the customers to the back of the store where there was a panic alert and a manager opened a door,” said Ms Tufail.

“The males then grabbed items of jewellery out of the window display before they went back to the bike which sped off.”

The gang ditched the bike at Pentre Gwyn, but it was months later that Coffin was identified as one of the raiders, thanks to Ms Leszko’s evidence.

The break-in left shop owner Ruth Rees picking up a bill for a “significant” amount of damage and she also paid for counselling for one staff member who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder afterwards.

She said in a victim impact statement: “Another member of my staff had to have a week off and saw a doctor.

"It was a very stressful time as my husband is in poor health and we were on a much-needed break when it happened.

“There was a financial cost to the business.”

Defence barrister John Hedgecoe said Coffin recognised the seriousness of the offence and how it had affected the shop's staff.

“It does appear he [Coffin] has a very positive side to his character and he recognises the parlous position he is in,” said the barrister.

Judge Hale warned Coffin he would be on rocky ground if he repeated the offence in the future.

“You were not the brains behind the operation.

"He has got away Scot free because unfortunately for you your photograph was taken.

"But you have to learn this sort of conduct can’t be carried on.

"We’ve heard the effects on the victims and these things can’t go unpunished,” he said.

“There were considerable aggravating features in that it was planned using a stolen bike and you were wearing a balaclava and carried a spade to smash the windows in broad daylight.”