Robber with a cardboard gun gets tackled by teenage cashier
Bungling crook is jailed for 3 years
A DERBY man used a gun made from a piece of cardboard in a failed attempt to rob a shop.
Paul McDonald, of St Mary’s Court, off Duke Street, hid the clumsily produced imitation firearm under his jumper at a shop in Nottingham and demanded cash from a teenage worker, who believed the object to be a real gun.
After a small amount of money was handed over, McDonald, aged 48, fled but was pursued along Wollaton Road by the courageous cashier, who by then may have started to suspect that the gun was an imitation.
The teenager caught up with McDonald, tackled him to the ground, and discovered that the firearm was a rolled-up piece of cardboard.
The bungling crook then wriggled free, dropped the money he had stolen, and ran off.
McDonald was then arrested by Nottinghamshire Police, his attempts to escape and hide having lasted only a few minutes.
Officers discovered that he was still carrying the cardboard imitation firearm he had used to carry out the robbery which took place on Thursday, April 14 this year.
McDonald was charged with robbery and having an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, and previously pleaded guilty to the charges.
At Nottingham Crown Court on Monday he was sentenced to three years in prison.
Detective Constable Rob Marsden,
of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “McDonald’s decision that day to storm into the store and threaten someone with what they believed was a gun was completely unacceptable and reckless in the extreme.
“At the time of the robbery, the shop worker had no way of knowing for sure that the object being pointed at him was anything other than a real firearm.
“The force will always respond robustly and decisively to every report we receive relating to a firearms offence, for the simple purpose of helping keep people safe. Likewise, we are absolutely committed to reducing incidents of robbery in our communities as we understand how much of a lasting impact this can have on people.
“This must have been a terrifying experience for the teenage victim, who will have believed they were in danger of being seriously hurt throughout the ordeal.
“While McDonald wasn’t carrying a weapon during this incident, this was still an incredibly serious offence, so I’m pleased to see this has been reflected in the length of the sentence handed out to him.”