A man has been jailed for more than five years after he robbed money from a filling station by threatening the cashier with an imitation firearm.

Shane Richards, 31, went to the Applegreen Service Station, in Chatteris, at about 8.15pm on Saturday, August 21 2021, and loitered in the shop for some time before approaching the counter and demanding money from the till while making a metal “pistol” visible in his trouser waistband.

The shop worker handed over £330 in cash after Richards had asked for “everything out of the till”, and said he didn’t want “to use it [the gun] but I will.”

Richards fled but was later arrested after shop staff recognised him. 

At 6.45pm that day, Richards and a friend, David Leadbeater, 33, had also attempted to get money from a vulnerable man in Fairway, Chatteris.

Cambs Times: David Leadbeater had attempted to get money from a vulnerable man with Richards.David Leadbeater had attempted to get money from a vulnerable man with Richards. (Image: Cambridgeshire Constabulary)

Richards knocked on the back door of the house and claimed the victim owed him £50.

When the victim tried to call the police, Richards grabbed the phone from his hand and pulled a crowbar out of his hooded top.  

The victim went out to alert a neighbour, and Richards and Leadbeater left without the money.

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On Friday (July 14), at Huntingdon Law Courts, Richards, of Treeway, Chatteris, was jailed for five years and six months, having been found guilty of burglary, robbery and having an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence. 

Leadbeater, of Park Street, Chatteris, was jailed for two years, having been found guilty of burglary. 

Both men were handed five-year restraining orders from contacting the victims. 

DC Matt Reed said: “Richards’ crimes would have been terrifying for both victims, and this result shows we and the courts will not tolerate violence like this in the county.”