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Brave shoppers brought new meaning to ‘people power’ when they thwarted two violent armed robbers.
One local kicked over the getaway bike of criminals Christopher London and Damion Clark. Another resident refused to hand over his car keys despite being stabbed in the head in the brazen jewellery shop raid in Louth, Lincolnshire.
The pair was confronted by dozens of passing shoppers and traders after entering Eastgate Jewellers on the town's main street armed with a pair of claw hammers and a kitchen knife.
Smash and grab: As London and Clark smashed through glass cabinets in the jewellery store, dozens of passers-by were gathering outside, the action caught on CCTV
Lincoln Crown Court heard how two passers-by guarded the door while another kicked over the getaway vehicle, parked outside the shop, the action caught on camera.
As the pair, both wearing motorbike helmets, split up and escaped on foot on June 24, 30-year-old Clark approached elderly motorist Eric Chapman. He refused to hand over his car keys despite being stabbed in the eyebrow by the robber.
London, 25, fled to a local primary school which was ‘locked down’ as he was confronted by the deputy head teacher.
Jon Straw, prosecuting, said the two robbers were left ‘high and dry’ after the keys were removed from a motorcycle which they were planning to make their getaway on.
Mr Straw told the court: ‘This is a very remarkable example of people power.
Left 'high and dry': The court heard how residents of Louth banded together, forcing the robbers to escape on foot
‘While they were inside trying to effect the robbery of the shop the people of the town banded together and the motorbike they intended to use for their escape was pushed over by a passer-by and the keys taken.
‘They were left high and dry and had to flee on foot.’
The drama unfolded when the two armed men were disturbed by jewellery store owner Julie Smith as they tried to smash their way into the store's display cabinets. Ms Smith, who had been working in a back office, was pushed down the stairs and forced to let the robbers escape after setting off an alarm which initially locked them in the front of the store.
However, by the time the two robbers emerged a crowd had gathered outside the store. guarded the shop door while another kicked the pair's getaway bike over
After the crowd foiled the duo’s getaway plan, the two robbers split up and Clark fled to the nearby Queen Street car park when he came across Mr Chapman.
Mr Straw said: ‘Clark went to the car door. Mr Chapman was sitting in it. He refused to get out despite suffering an injury from the knife to his eyebrow.’
Other members of the public, including a retired police officer, helped restrain Clark as he ran up Aswell Street. The knife and a number of jewellery boxes were found nearby.
London also fled up Aswell Street to nearby Kidgate Primary Academy where he dumped his yellow motorcycle helmet after being confronted by deputy Paul Lidbury.
Mr Straw said: ‘He was told to leave the school by the teacher who alerted the police and was caught as he tried to meet up with an associate who he had asked to drive to Louth to pick him up.’
Mr Lidbury said: ‘I told him he should not be in our school. All he said was that the police were after him.
‘My main concern was the safety of the 400 children and 30 staff inside. I saw him run round the corner. We were having a delivery so the school gates were open.
‘But he went over the neighbour's fence and went hedge hopping through people's gardens.’
The court heard that London and Clark were serial criminals who carried out the robbery after travelling 20 miles across the Lincolnshire Wolds from their homes in Grimsby.
Clark, who had previously served jailed sentences for wounding and arson, admitted the robbery and unlawfully wounding Mr Chapman.
He also asked for a crime spree of 17 other offences to be taken into consideration, which included a dozen burglaries.
In sentencing Clark to an extended sentence of nine and half years, Judge Sean Morris told him that he regarded him as ‘dangerous’. Clark was sentenced to six years imprisonment with three and half years extended licence.
London, who pleaded guilty to the robbery and also asked for 12 other offences to be taken in to consideration, was jailed for four years.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2410045/Shoppers-thwart-armed-robbers-kicking-getaway-bike.html#ixzz2drMWA0pd
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