FOUR members of a Bolton armed robbery gang who used “extreme violence” are facing jail after they admitted their parts in a series of raids—including a £30,000 heist in which one was dressed in a burkha to trick their way into a jewellery shop.

Three of the gang, Faheem Kola, Mohammed Khan and Babar Khan, had already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob, and the fourth member, Rias Atcha, who was on trial at Burnley Crown Court, pleaded guilty yesterday.

Each member of the gang has admitted to taking part in at least one of three robberies — the jewellery shop raid at Muzzafer’s Jewellers in Brougham Street, Burnley, a robbery at a house in Ellesmere Road, Morris Green, Bolton, and another raid at a house in Fairfield Drive, Burnley, in which £3,000 worth of cash and jewellery was taken after a 74- year-old man and a 63- year-old woman were threatened and assaulted with a gun and an axe.

In the Ellesmere Road robbery, last May, an elderly couple were tied up in a bedroom while the robbers threatened to kill them if they did not hand over their cash and jewellery.

The terrified 86 and 79- year-old were left extremely shaken after the attack.

One of the robbers knocked on the door before the three men, who had hoods and scarves and were carrying an axe, a hammer and a baseball bat, burst in and attacked the elderly residents.

Lancashire police, who worked with Bolton CID during the investigation, said it was a long and complex process involving forensics, telephone evidence and witnesses.

Det Sgt Nicola Bithell said: “This has been a long and complex inquiry and I am satisfied with the result.

“Atcha is a dangerous offender who was part of a group that used extreme violence and weapons to threaten the victims leaving them terrified and traumatised.

“We have worked extremely hard with Greater Manchester Police throughout the investigation and I hope it sends a strong message out to those who think they can come into Lancashire to commit crime that they will be targeted and brought to justice.”

Atcha, aged 20, of Burwell Close, Great Lever; Kola, aged 19, of Willows Lane, Deane; Mohammed Khan, aged 26, of Mancroft Avenue, Daubhill; and Babar Khan, aged 25, of Jasmine Court, Great Lever, will be sentenced on March 30 after the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

Atcha was yesterday remanded in custody by Judge Pamela Bradley.