Video shows armed trio robbing elderly shopkeeper in terrifying 3-minute raid
Shocking CCTV shows the moment a gang of armed Leicester thugs pointed a gun at a elderly shopkeeper during a terrifying robbery at his store. Callum Groves, Joshua Woods and Jack Weston escaped with thousands of pounds' worth of items after storming the corner shop in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire.
Security cameras captured the robbers raiding the shop on Sunday, September 23, last year, before threatening the shopkeeper with a knife and an air pistol spray-painted to look like a real firearm. The shopkeeper, aged in his 70s, suffered minor injuries after being restrained by one of the group while the others tried to rip out the till from the counter.
When their attempts were unsuccessful, the frustrated trio trashed the store, while continuing to wave their weapons in the man’s face. He feared he would be killed.
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Groves, 25, Woods, 29, and Weston, 23, then raided the cigarette counter before making their way out of the exit and into a waiting getaway car. A police investigation launched following the three-minute robbery identified the gang members.
Woods was the first to be tracked down, with police raiding his home and seizing the BB gun that had been sprayed black. Detectives arrested Groves and Weston a few weeks later and all three were charged with robbery, having an imitation firearm with intent and threatening a person with a blade.
The trio pleaded guilty to each of the charges and were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, April 19. Groves, of Hartshorn Close, Thurmaston, near Leicester, was jailed for four years while Weston, of Cuffing Drive, Braunstone Frith, Leicester, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison. Woods, of Chilcombe Walk, Beaumont Leys, Leicester, was locked up for four years and three months.
Detective Sergeant Nathan Bingham of Nottinghamshire Police said: “Groves’s, Weston’s and Woods’s actions that evening were cowardly and appalling in equal measure. Armed with a firearm and a knife, the three of them all charged into this shop at the same time in full knowledge that the lone shopkeeper wouldn’t be able to overpower them.
“They then threatened him multiple times with the weapons, including aiming what to all intents and purposes looked like a real handgun straight at the victim. While it was in fact an imitation firearm, the shopkeeper would have had no way of knowing this at the time, so this must have been an incredibly scary experience for him.
“The entire ordeal actually lasted only a couple of minutes, with Groves, Weston and Woods failing with their attempts to steal the till and helping themselves to other stock instead. Robbery, and in particular armed robbery, is a despicable crime that has absolutely no place in our society, so we’re pleased to see each of these men have now been jailed for their actions.”