Armed robber with tights on head is unmasked by shopkeeper

A BRAVE shopkeeper has told of the moment she unmasked a robber during an armed raid – after recognising his voice from the local pub.

Gutsy Rhona Renaud pulled a pair of tights off the head of knife-wielding crook George Blackwood in the robbery in June.

The 61-year-old laughed at him as she did it, telling him: “I knew fine well it was you, you p **** , you’re not getting BY JAMES MONCUR j.moncur@dailyrecord.co.uk the money.” Blackwood, 36, made off with £100 from the A&A store in Anstruther, Fife, and was caught less than an hour later.

He was sentenced to more than two years in jail at Dundee Sheriff Court after admitting the offence.

Rhona said yesterday: “I knew it was him right away.

“I’m good with voices and recognised him from the local pub pool team when he started speaking. I refused to give him the money at first even though he was waving a steak knife in my face.

“When he turned away from me, I saw that one leg of the tights was dangling down so I just pulled them off his head.

“There are CCTV cameras everywhere so I knew at least one would pick him up.

“My boss told me I should have just handed over the money which was the more sensible thing to do.” Blackwood, who had a “considerable” substance misuse problem and had taken Valium and alcohol in the lead-up to the crime, was found at a friend’s house.

He was now said to be off drugs and was “apologetic” towards his victim.

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael jailed Blackwood for 25 months, telling him: “Although [Rhona] acted with bravery, police said she was distressed.”