WITHIN a space of just 18 months, robbers struck three times outside the same Ipswich bank.

On February 10, 2006, November 18, 2005 and September 7, 2007, the Lloyds TSB branch in Nacton Road was targeted.

In April 2011, a robber who held up a security guard at gunpoint outside the bank was locked up for eight and a half years.

Metropolitan Police surveillance officers had been monitoring the Lloyds TSB branch in Nacton Road but were caught by surprise when Ian Joseph struck, making off with a �15,000 haul.

They gave chase and the pursuit led to an armed siege, but Joseph, who had dumped the cash, eluded capture.

However, the long arm of the law did eventually catch up with him and last October the 38-year-old was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery in relation to the raid on September 7, 2007.

The gun-toting robber was only linked to one raid but was part of a gang which committed 18 armed raids during a 17-month crime spree.

The raids finally ended six days after last of the Ipswich robberies when two gang members - Mark Nunes, 35, and Andrew Markland, 36 - were fatally wounded by Metropolitan Police marksman as they carried out a robbery at Chandlers Ford in Hampshire.

The men, both from south London, were shot as police laid in wait for them.