(Image: GMP)
'Don't call the police or I'll shoot you': Tesco worker feared for her life after toy gun-toting robber targeted store
by Andrew Bardsley · Manchester Evening NewsA robber pointed a gun at a Tesco sales assistant and shouted ‘don’t call the police or I’ll shoot you’ during a terrifying ordeal.
Michael Wilde ordered the woman to empty the tills at the Tesco Express store on Quay Street, Manchester city centre, warning her he had a ‘gun and 12 bullets’. Wilde then fled with about £300 in cash and some cigarettes, but another shop worker had been able to press a silent alarm to alert the police.
He was caught just down the street by brave cops, after Wilde had also pointed the gun at one of them. Following the heist, it was discovered the weapon was in fact a ‘toy gun’.
A judge paid tribute to the ‘enormous courage’ of police, who had ‘acted to the highest standards’. Judge Alan Conrad KC told Wilde at Manchester Crown Court: “This incident could have had truly terrible consequences, and you could well have ended up being shot and killed.
“Pedestrians and motorists could have been put at risk of bullets being fired near to them.” Wilde, who has 106 previous offences on his record, was declared a ‘dangerous’ criminal and locked up.
Wilde burst into the store at about 12.15pm on Saturday, July 20. He spoke to a female shop assistant, and after pulling out what appeared to be a black gun, told her: “Give me all the money in the till.” He told her that he had ‘a gun and 12 bullets’.
Wilde proceeded to show her bullets from an inside pocket of his shirt. She began emptying tills of cash, until about £300 in total was collected.
He then told her to fill up a bag with cigarettes. “Don’t call the police or I’ll shoot you,” Wilde shouted.
But known to the defendant, a colleague had pressed a silent alarm and the police were already on their way. He had only made it a short distance down the street when police armed with Tasers arrived.
One officer feared for his life after Wilde pointed the gun at him. They tried to Taser him, but it was ineffective.
An officer then ‘bravely ran at’ Wilde, hit him a number of times to ‘incapacitate’ him before grabbing the gun from his hand. The cash and cigarettes were seized and returned to Tesco.
The judge added: “Quay Street was busy with lots of people present, including young families, who turned around and fled in fear on seeing the defendant produce the weapon.” Judge Conrad commended the officers and said they acted with ‘great courage and skill’. The cashier targeted by Wilde said she had been in fear for her life and has had to undergo counselling, as has the officer who Wilde pointed a gun at.
The assistant who covertly alerted police had a panic attack when he returned to work and has since moved stores. The court heard that Wilde has a ‘long standing drug addiction’, and ‘fell victim to temptation’ after being released from a previous jail sentence.
He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and handed an extended four years on licence. Wilde will have to serve two-thirds of the 12 year jail term before he can be considered for release by the Parole Board.
Wilde, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery, possessing an imitation firearm at the time of committing a specified offence, and attempting to make use of an imitation firearm with intent.