Man jailed for 'terrifying' Wellingborough shop robbery

Robert Cridland escaped from the sandwich shop with £600

A man has been jailed after threatening staff with a knife during a sandwich shop robbery.

Robert William Cridland admitted the robbery, which took place in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, in September.

He also admitted possessing an offensive weapon.

The investigating officer described the incident as "terrifying" for the members of staff involved.

The robbery happened at the Subway shop in Grafton Close in Wellingborough at 12:40 BST on 18 August.

Cridland, previously of Wellingborough, threatened two staff with a kitchen knife.

He ran off with the till which contained just over £600 in cash.

He was later charged with one count of robbery and one count of possessing an offensive weapon, and pleaded guilty to both offences at Northampton Crown Court in September.

He returned to court earlier this month to be sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

The robbery happened in broad daylight at the Subway shop in Grafton Close, Wellingborough

In their victim impact statements, both staff members who were working at the store at the time said the incident had made them anxious, with one of them writing: "I am struggling to leave the house.

"I do not want to go out because I am anxious something bad will happen again."

The lead investigator, Det Con Amelia Thompson, said: "This was a terrifying incident for the staff members working at Subway that day and so I am pleased that Cridland pleaded guilty to these offences and is now in prison.

"Everyone who goes to work should feel safe and anyone who violates that right will be pursued by Northamptonshire Police."