Sawn-off shotgun burglar who terrorised family on run from Derbyshire prison

A prisoner who was part of a gang which threatened two children with a sawn-off shotgun is on the run from an open prison in Derbyshire. Derbyshire Police say Rhys Allen walked out of HMP Sudbury at around 4.15am on Sunday, October 20.

The 30-year-old was serving an eight-year sentence for aggravated burglary and possession of a firearm after being sentenced in 2017. That involved him and two other men arming themselves with the gun and a knife and ransacking a home in Cheshire in front of the terrified family that lived inside.

They forced their way into the Frodsham address then threatened a mum and dad and their two young children, demanding the parents hand over the keys to a car parked outside. After taking the keys the men, who had been supported by a lookout, fled the scene and got into a getaway vehicle waiting nearby.

Allen, formerly of of Stanley Park Avenue South, Walton, Liverpool, is white, around 5ft 10ins tall, of slim build, with brown eyes.He has links to Merseyside, Cheshire, Dyfed-Powys, North Wales, Thames Valley, West Midlands, South Yorkshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire.

If you know where Allen is please contact Derbyshire police with reference 184-201024:

• Website – There are crime reporting tools on the force’s website: use our online contact form
• Facebook – send a private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page
• X (Twitter) – direct message the contact centre via @DerPolContact
• Phone – call 101

You can also anonymously contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers, on 0800 555 111, or by visiting the CrimeStoppers website .

Following the sentencing in March 2018, Detective Constable Andrea Ellis, of Cheshire Police, said: “Burglary is an appalling crime which targets people in their own homes, the one place that they should always be able to feel safe.

“In this case the victims had been settling down for the night with their two young children when they were both verbally and physically attacked by this despicable group.

“While they did not suffer any physical injuries, they were left extremely shaken and they will never be able to forget what happened on that night.”