Thief raids shop on Canvey ripping cash register off counter

10:40am Wednesday 13th February 2013 in Local News

Frightening - thief holding till after ripping it from the wall Frightening - thief holding till after ripping it from the wall

THE owner of a town centre convenience store has relived the terrifying moment a thief ripped the till from the wall of his shop, making off with around £1,000.

The brazen crook went into the Island Supermarket, in Furtherwick Road, Canvey at around 6:30pm last Wednesday, posing as a customer, before threatening and hitting the owner away as he tried to open the cash register.

Frustrated with being unable to unlock it, the raider then tore the till from the wall, ripping apart the heavy cabling, before riding off with the machine on a bicycle.

Owner Vajsi Borkhatriya, 43, said: “I tried to press my panic button but he kept hitting me stopping me from doing anything. I felt really threatened, it was really scary, he could’ve done anything.

“Then he lifted the till and yanked it from the wall, snapping all the heavy cables, before running out the door. It all happened so quickly, it must’ve been over in about 10 seconds.

“A lot of businesses have been targeted on Canvey and we’d obviously heard about the robberies and read about them in the Echo, so we were really on edge wondering whether it was going to happen to us.”

Businesses and residents on the island have been rocked by a spate of 14 armed robberies last year which, at its height, saw eight robberies in eight weeks.

Police are dealing with the incident as a theft not a robbery.

However, the 1968 Theft Act states “A person is guilty of robbery if he steals, and immediately before or at the time of doing so, and in order to do so, he uses force on any person or puts or seeks to put any person in fear of being then and there subjected to force.”
 

The suspect is described as wearing a navy blue woollen hat, brown trousers, black trainers or boots, a blue hooded jumper and had a blue and grey scarf covering his face.
 

An Essex Police spokeswoman said: “Police are investigating the theft of a cash register from the convenience store in Furtherwick Road, Canvey which happened at about 6:30pm on Wednesday.

“The cash register was taken by a man after his demands for money were not met. The till contained cash and vouchers. Extensive inquiries are continuing to establish who may be responsible.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on Canvey on 101 or Crime-stoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Comments (8)

11:06am Wed 13 Feb 13

JuliaM says...

"Police are dealing with the incident as a theft not a robbery."

The newspaper seems to know the law better than Essex Police. What a surprise...
"Police are dealing with the incident as a theft not a robbery." The newspaper seems to know the law better than Essex Police. What a surprise... JuliaM

1:29pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Rochford Rob says...

Plod really aren't fit for purpose these days are they? The shopkeeper says he was hit. It's a ROBBERY you thick doughnut munching wastes of space.

However, it doesn't do the crime figures any good so it gets down-graded to theft and we then get told crime is on the decrease. Yeah right.

Southend On Sea - Twinned with Dodge City.

This criticism comes from a retired Copper.
Plod really aren't fit for purpose these days are they? The shopkeeper says he was hit. It's a ROBBERY you thick doughnut munching wastes of space. However, it doesn't do the crime figures any good so it gets down-graded to theft and we then get told crime is on the decrease. Yeah right. Southend On Sea - Twinned with Dodge City. This criticism comes from a retired Copper. Rochford Rob

4:06pm Wed 13 Feb 13

firedog says...

Rochford Rob wrote:
Plod really aren't fit for purpose these days are they? The shopkeeper says he was hit. It's a ROBBERY you thick doughnut munching wastes of space.

However, it doesn't do the crime figures any good so it gets down-graded to theft and we then get told crime is on the decrease. Yeah right.

Southend On Sea - Twinned with Dodge City.

This criticism comes from a retired Copper.
What has Southend-on-sea got to do with it?it was on Canvey Island.
[quote][p][bold]Rochford Rob[/bold] wrote: Plod really aren't fit for purpose these days are they? The shopkeeper says he was hit. It's a ROBBERY you thick doughnut munching wastes of space. However, it doesn't do the crime figures any good so it gets down-graded to theft and we then get told crime is on the decrease. Yeah right. Southend On Sea - Twinned with Dodge City. This criticism comes from a retired Copper.[/p][/quote]What has Southend-on-sea got to do with it?it was on Canvey Island. firedog

4:39pm Wed 13 Feb 13

supermadmax says...

Violent crime rises in Southend so crime tries to catch up on Canvey.

Typical Canvey always in Southends shadow.
Violent crime rises in Southend so crime tries to catch up on Canvey. Typical Canvey always in Southends shadow. supermadmax

5:12pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Boyracer_1991 says...

Someone was a bit desperate for money. Enjoy your prison cell.
Someone was a bit desperate for money. Enjoy your prison cell. Boyracer_1991

5:13pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Bernard Fatsack says...

They make this thief sound like superman able to tear through "heavy duty cables" they were obviously poorly fixed to begin with.

Oh and he made off on a bicycle......we are returning to the dark ages
They make this thief sound like superman able to tear through "heavy duty cables" they were obviously poorly fixed to begin with. Oh and he made off on a bicycle......we are returning to the dark ages Bernard Fatsack

7:32pm Wed 13 Feb 13

marshman says...

If only the thief had a bit of skunk growing in his garage. He'd be banged up by now for sure.
If only the thief had a bit of skunk growing in his garage. He'd be banged up by now for sure. marshman

11:22am Thu 14 Feb 13

Rochford Rob says...

firedog wrote:
Rochford Rob wrote: Plod really aren't fit for purpose these days are they? The shopkeeper says he was hit. It's a ROBBERY you thick doughnut munching wastes of space. However, it doesn't do the crime figures any good so it gets down-graded to theft and we then get told crime is on the decrease. Yeah right. Southend On Sea - Twinned with Dodge City. This criticism comes from a retired Copper.
What has Southend-on-sea got to do with it?it was on Canvey Island.
My apologies but my comment still stands. each area is as bad as the other
[quote][p][bold]firedog[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Rochford Rob[/bold] wrote: Plod really aren't fit for purpose these days are they? The shopkeeper says he was hit. It's a ROBBERY you thick doughnut munching wastes of space. However, it doesn't do the crime figures any good so it gets down-graded to theft and we then get told crime is on the decrease. Yeah right. Southend On Sea - Twinned with Dodge City. This criticism comes from a retired Copper.[/p][/quote]What has Southend-on-sea got to do with it?it was on Canvey Island.[/p][/quote]My apologies but my comment still stands. each area is as bad as the other Rochford Rob

Comments are closed on this article.

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