The Bradford North and Keighley Divisional Chief of Police has praised the dogged efforts of two detectives who solved the case of an armed robbery at the Gala Bingo Club in Alice street, Keighly. Both Detective Constable Gareth Hamer and Detective Sergeant Ben McDonald were honoured and given awards for their investigative expertise in obtaining convictions against the three armed robbers.

The armed robbery took place at the Keighly Gala Bingo club last year in April and the two detectives were found to have gone out of their way to find out who the perpetrators were, arrest them and bring the case to court. They were also praised for their witness care.

Unlike the former policeman, Matthew Brakewell who was accused of posing as a police officer who was undercover on a covert operation in order to be able to steal cash from the Gala bingo club in Bradford. He was also responsible for stealing £2 000 even days earlier at the Mecca bingo club in Rochdale. The former police officer was armed in both instances and faces two fire arms charges as well as the burglary rap.