A “BOLD as brass” thief who silently robbed a bank by brandishing a threatening handwritten note claiming he had a gun has been jailed.

Nathan Baxendale, aged 22 and of no fixed abode, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison after admitting one count of robbery at Bolton Crown Court on Monday (March 17).

At around 4.50pm on February 19, making no attempt to conceal his identity, Baxendale brazenly walked into the Co-Operative bank on The Rock, Bury town centre.

He approached the cashier’s desk where he pulled out an A5-sized piece of paper on which was written ‘GIVE ME YOUR MONEY. I HAVE A GUN’.

Fearing she would be attacked and harmed, the cashier gave Baxendale some money and he then walked off, getting into a nearby taxi which dropped him in Rochdale.

After an image of him taken from the bank’s CCTV cameras was issued to the media, Baxendale was quickly identified as the person responsible.

Baxendale handed himself into police and was arrested on February 21. In his police interview he did not offer an explanation as to why he had carried out the robbery.

He admitted using some of the money to pay off drugs debts while some of it was spent on clothes and another portion was recovered.

Detective Sergeant Ian Partington said Baxendale’s actions had been “stupid in the extreme”.

He added: "This was an extremely bizarre incident for which there was only ever going to be one outcome.

“Baxendale walked into the bank bold as brass, made no attempt to conceal his identity and made what the cashier believed was a credible and terrifying threat.

“Once we reviewed the CCTV and saw just how good the systems were and how clearly he had been captured we knew if would only be a matter of time before he was caught and obviously he has pleaded due to the overwhelming evidence against him.

“I would also like to thank the media and public for their assistance in identifying Baxendale and helping us to expedite our inquiries and ultimately his arrest.

“We don’t know why he did what he did and he can offer no reason for carrying out this robbery but he now has a long time in prison to reflect on his actions.”