Sneaky robber threatens Birmingham pharmacy staff with 'gun' using object to make swift exit  

A robber was caught on camera as he strolls into a pharmacy in Erdington demanding drugs , claiming he has a gun, then a knife before ripping a till away and walking out with it

A brazen robber strolled into a Birmingham pharmacy carrying an empty carrier bag claiming he had a gun and a knife and demanding drugs. The thief walked into the Prinja Pharmacy at Eaton Wood Medical Centre, in Tyburn Road, Erdington, late on Thursday, September 19.

He tells the first staff member he has a gun, while demanding she gives him diazepam – known by its brand name Valium. He is told the pharmacy does not have any but proceeds to walk around the back of the counter and eyes up the pharmacy’s shelves.

There pharmacy owner, Chander Prija confronts him. The robber then says he has a knife – but does not show any weapon. He searches the shelves but cannot find what he’s after so then heads to the till.

Read more: Pharmacy plagued by shoplifters forced to take tough steps but still gets raided

He presses it to try and open it before then picking up the till, pulling it off the counter, wrecking the display and leaving a trail of mess before walking out the door which he had previously cunningly wedged open with a brick.

Exasperated pharmacy boss, Chander Prinja, told BirminghamLive: “We have never seen this guy before. He came in and he smelt of booze.

“You could see from his face that he appeared to be high on something, along with alcohol. He said to a member of staff ‘I have got a gun. Give me diazepam’.

“He kept looking around because he was having difficulty focusing. We said we didn’t keep them [diazepam]. Then he said he was going to take the till. He said to me he had a knife. My training is he would have showed the knife at that point if he had one. You have to have your wits about you.

"He then took the till – but didn’t take anything else. He caused a lot of damage to a Perspex screen and the counter display though. When he came in, I didn’t realise he put a small brick by the door to make sure he could escape.”

Read more: Moment shoplifter calmly targets pharmacy walking out with bag full of goods

Mr Prinja continued: “I have reason to believe that local guys were probably involved. Three or four days later somebody came around and said they saw four people trying to open the till. It was quite a heavy till.

“I have been here 40 or 41 years. Most of these drug addicts I have never had a problem with, apart from petty shoplifting. We are serving the community. The money isn’t pouring in. Our profitability is nil.

“What the worst thing was, we have panic buttons. We pressed the panic buttons and the alarm company Chubb’s control system phones me and says I have to phone the police myself.

“They said the police disconnected us back in 2014. When you press the panic button it is meant to go to central control who then phone the police but Chubb said West Midlands Police put a stop on it.”

Mr Prinja added: “I’m the sort of person I don’t hate people I hate these actions. Why they do it – there’s an underlying problem.

“The police do their job and even if they catch them – stay out or go inside – it’s like a five-star hotel. Even if these people are put in prison they are laughing their head off. There’s no deterrent.”

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said: "We’re investigating after a till and cash were taken from Prinja Pharmacy in Tyburn Road at about 5.30pm on Thursday, 19 September. Officers are continuing with enquiries to identify and trace the person responsible.

"Anyone who can help with enquiries can contact them via Live Chat on our website or by calling 101, quoting crime reference 20/846547/24." Alternatively, anyone with any details can Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.