Shopkeeper’s presence of mind leads to swift arrest

A would-be robber fled a store empty handed after the shopkeeper told him police were on the way.

Officers were able to nab the suspect a short while later after getting a description of the man from the shopkeeper.

The 30-year-old man had entered a convenience store in Commercial Road, Bulwell, near Nottingham, shortly after 3pm on Wednesday (27 October), demanding cigarettes.

When the shopkeeper asked the man whether he was going to pay, he replied “no” and threatened to pull out a knife, although a weapon was not seen by the victim.

The shopkeeper told him she had discreetly alerted police and that made him leave.

A Response team that arrived minutes later arrested the suspect after a search of the area. Once in custody, the suspect was further arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after a camera inside a police cell was smashed.

“Officers did a fantastic job to quickly locate and arrest a suspect a short time after the incident was reported and he remains in police custody,” PC Holly Gascoyne, who is investigating the incident, said.

“Nottinghamshire Police takes these types of offences very seriously and will always strive to put suspects before the courts.”