TWO men from Urmston and Stretford have been jailed after violently robbing three people within two days.


Simon Allen, 25, of Flixton Road and Ashley Bosson, 20, of Moss Park Road, placed adverts for a Hi-Fi on selling website, Gumtree and then assaulted would-be buyers and stole money from them when they came to pick up the entertainment system.
 

On September 24, Allen was sentenced to six years in prison and Bosson to 18 months in a young offenders institute.
 

On May 9 2012, A 56-year-old man responded to an advert for a £1,750 Hi-Fi and received an email from Allen asking him to be at a house in Irlam that evening.
 

When the man arrived at the address and got out of his car, he was approached by a male accomplice of Allen’s, the 56-year-old was grabbed and punched in the head before the male demanded he hand over money.
 

A nearby neighbour heard the scuffle, opened their door and allowed the victim to escape the assault.
 

The man then smashed the victim’s car window and made off.
 

The next day, two would-be buyers arranged to meet Allen at houses in Davyhulme and Urmston at different times, in order to purchase the Hi-Fi which was now being advertised at £950.
 

In separate incidents, a 48-year-old man had his car window smashed with a metal bar and was forced to hand over the £950 and a 47-year-old man was approached by two men in balaclavas and was hit over the head with a cosh, causing him to fall and dislocate his knee.
 

His mobile phone and £900 were stolen.
 

The Hi-Fi was still being advertised, so police arranged to meet ‘John’ at a house on Longworth Close, Flixton, on May 16.


In nearby bushes they found Allen concealing a metal weights bar and arrested him.


Bosson, who was concealing a 12” kitchen knife, tried to run to Allen’s nearby car but was also arrested.