Three brave individuals who put themselves in harm’s way to bring an armed robber to justice have been commended by the investigating officer of a case in Shoreham. The incident, which occurred on 31st October last year, was caught on CCTV footage that showed a group of masked men robbing a convenience store.
One of the robbers, Samuel Brown, wrenched a till from the shop counter and assaulted a member of staff. However, the employee bravely fought back and managed to deter the attacker.
The staff member quickly informed a relative who pursued Brown and tackled him to the ground in a nearby garden. During the scuffle, both the relative and an occupant of the house were assaulted, but together they managed to detain Brown before the arrival of the police.
The 32-year-old, who resided in Stoney Lane, Shoreham, was arrested and charged with robbery and two counts of assault. He pleaded guilty to all offenses and was sentenced to 49 months in prison at Lewes Crown Court on March 1st.
A 33-year-old man from Worthing was also arrested in connection with the incident but was later released without charge.
Investigating officer Richard Emmett said: “I have to commend the courage of the three victims involved in this case, who put themselves in harms way in order to detain the defendant and help bring him to justice.
“Robbery is an extremely serious offence which comes with serious consequences, and Brown now faces a lengthy period behind bars for his actions.”
