'Don't be a hero, buddy' – Warning issued by armed robber who targeted two shops in one day
An armed robber who warned a shop keeper to not "be a hero" before making off with cash has been jailed.
John Williams attempted to raid two shops in Whitehouse Common Road, Sutton Coldfield, on October 12 last year.
In the first instance, he threatened a worker with a knife and demanded they open the till.
He approached the employee and warned, "don't be a hero buddy. Open the till."
The shop worker refused to do so and pressed the panic button, with Williams leaving empty-handed.
Minutes later, the 30-year-old threatened a woman at another shop on the same road for the contents of the till.
He said: "I'm sorry to have to do this. It's not your money, don't be a hero." He emptied the till of cash and made off.
Williams, of Hermitage Drive, Sutton Coldfield, was later tracked down by police who used CCTV to follow his path from the scenes to his address, and spotted him arriving and leaving the scene on an electric scooter.
He was found to have used a route that would avoid approaching police cars and allow him to get home unseen.
When officers arrived at his home, they found the scooter used in the offence.
Williams claimed it wasn't him who was at the scene, and tried to convince officers that an "unidentified third person" had borrowed his gloves and scooter on the promise they would be returned.
Officers then showed him CCTV footage clearly showing him going to and from the scene of the attempted thefts.
Williams was sentenced to 12 years in prison at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday for robbery and attempted robbery.
Det Sgt Curt Wilkins from West Midlands Police, said: "This was an excellent piece of work by the officers involved and an even better result.
"Williams was a desperate individual fuelling his drug addiction through serious offending with weapons.
"These crimes took place within a few minutes of each other and will have been extremely distressing for the staff of the two shops."
