Armed robber smashed shop till with hammer
This is the armed robber who smashed a shop till with a hammer then walked away with the contents.
Anthony Potts was walking through the Galleries Shopping Centre in Washington, with the weapon in his hand when he targeted a mobile phone store.
Newcastle Crown Court heardwhilehewasstillarmed, Potts then tried to get car keys from two strangers and attempted to drive away in a taxi whilethedriverwasdistracted byhelpinganelderlycustomer.
The 34-year-old was detained at the scene by members of the public and security staff until the police arrived.
Potts, of Wellcroft Court, Leam Lane, Gateshead, admitted robbery, attempted robbery and having an offensive weapon.
Mr Recorder Anthony Dunne sentenced him to three years and nine months behind bars.
The judge told him: "You wereseenonCCTVfootagecarrying a hammer, quite openly, in one of your hands as you wandered through the shopping centre.
"This was an extremely frighteningincidentforanyone thatwitnessedyourbehaviour or who was approached and threatened by you."
Prosecutor Neil Pallister said the phone shop was targeted just after 9.30am on March 9.
He told the court: "The defendant swung the hammer down onto the till, putting a hole in the top and smashed it to the ground."
Mr Pallister said the shop worker"jumpedbackinshock" and added: "The defendant shouted 'give me the money'."
The court heard Potts took the £175 cash that had spilled from the till and left the worker fearing "he was going to be struck by the hammer" and "petrified" the same thing could happen again.
Potts then walked to a jewellery store and asked a worker there if she had any car keys, before saying: "It doesn't matter."
He then asked a man outside the shopping centre for his car keys but was told no.
Potts then took his chance to get into a taxi while the cabbie was busy with a customer.
The court heard the hammerwasleftinsidethetaxiand the £175 in cash taken from the phone shop was left on the ground.
Fiona Lamb, defending, said Potts has mental health problems and had taken a "large quantity" of cocaine in the days before the offences.