Remember the story of a robbery in Union Street, Ryde last November? This update in from the Police, in their own words. Ed
Police are expressing their thanks for the community’s help in bringing a man to justice after he robbed a shop on the Isle of Wight.
A man aged 26, of no fixed address, appeared in court on Friday, March 4, 2011 when he was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty.
He was charged by police on Friday, November 19, 2010 after a robbery was reported at the McColl’s shop in Union Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight shortly after 10pm on Wednesday, November 17, 2010.
“No-one injured”
Investigating officer Detective Constable Iain Robertson of Isle of Wight CID said: “Thankfully no-one was injured or threatened with a weapon during this robbery. The robber walked into the shop and behaved in a menacing way, making demands for shop staff to ‘open the till’ so he was able to steal several hundreds of pounds in cash. Shop robberies on the island are rare, but this case clearly had a profound effect on shop staff who were upset by what happened.
“I would like to thank the many witnesses who came forward to help us track and trace the robber’s movements. We’re particularly grateful to bus operator Southern Vectis for their assistance. Officers were able to arrest the robber on Thursday, November 18, the day after the robbery.”
Staff should be vigilant
Det Con Robertson added: “This case has also demonstrated the importance of shops having good quality CCTV cameras, which are kept in working order. We appreciate that some security precautions are costly for businesses in the current financial climate, but it remains of paramount importance for managers and staff to be vigilant and check security on their premises is as robust as possible. Police will continue to carry out reassurance visits and crime prevention checks at shops across the island. Officers increased the number of visits to businesses on their local beats in November 2010 as a result of this robbery.”
Security advice from Police
Hampshire Constabulary would like to take this opportunity to remind businesses of the following crime prevention and security advice. Please try to ensure:
â— Valuable stock is locked away securely during closing hours.
â— Burglar alarms are activated when the premises are unoccupied.
â— Photographs of valuable stock are taken to help trace items that may be reported stolen.
â— CCTV is installed and kept in good working order.
â— Perimeters are secure. This includes checking entrances, exits and outbuildings are locked, and not storing tools or other items such as ladders in visible and accessible places where potential burglars could use them to force entry to premises.
â— Property is marked and logged. Etching, engraving, electronic tagging, website registration and ultraviolet marking all assists police in tracing and recovering stolen goods, and apprehending those responsible.
â— A minimum amount of cash is kept in the tills. Bank your till takings as regularly as possible.
â— Any safe on your premises should be the correct size to store your cash securely.
Get in touch
Further crime prevention advice is available by phoning Hampshire Constabulary on 101 or 0845 045 45 45, and online
Direct contact details for your local Safer Neighbourhoods team can also be found by going online to www.hampshire.police.uk and typing in your postcode on the front page of our website.
