A MAN who carried out half a dozen building society robberies around the country, including one in Blackburn, has been put behind bars for eight years.

One office was hit twice by Graham Wright, 51, who carefully planned his raids, even to the point of checking exit routes from towns.

His case was featured on the TV Crimewatch programme before his arrest in October last year.

Wright, from Southport, pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to three charges of robbery and one offence of having an imitation firearm with intent to commit an arrestable offence.

He asked for three further robberies to be taken into consideration. The judge passing sentence said: "You don't fit the image of the normal bank robber."

The court heard that his 'crime spree' occured between November 2000 and October last year.

The first was at the Yorkshire building society, Harrogate, where he struck in November 2000. On that and the second occasion he had an imitation handgun with him.

Mr Nick Kennedy, prosecuting, said the second one took place at the Marsden building society in Lune Street, Preston in March last year, when he took £970. Six months later in September he struck the same place, this time taking £3,000.

After that, Wright hit the Yorkshire building society, Blackburn, on September 25, when £250 was taken.

Wright's other crimes were at the Cheltenham and Gloucester in Hereford and the Bradford and Bingley in Middlesborough. The prosecution claimed, in all, he stole £6,280 cash.

Mr Kennedy also told the court that the case involved a degree of planning. Wright would select a town, usually one with a large number of different exit routes. He would then go on an 'explorational reconnaisance mission.'

Maps and A-Zs of various towns were recovered from his car.

Mr Andrew Alty, defending, said Wright felt genuine remorse and was ashamed of himself for what he had done. He said the imitation firearm had been a plastic toy gun.

"He accepts he planned the robberies and had gone to some lengths to ensure he was not caught. No-one else was involved or hurt."