Chilling moment robber threatens Birmingham pharmacy staff as he tells one worker 'I've got a gun'

The robbery took place at the Prinja Pharmacy at the Eaton Wood Medical Centre, in Tyburn Road, Erdington

This is the moment a cunning robber storms into a Birmingham pharmacy saying he is armed and demands drugs from staff before ripping out a till. The carrier-bag carrying thief walks briskly into the Prinja Pharmacy at the Eaton Wood Medical Centre, in Tyburn Road, Erdington, on Thursday, September 19, shortly after 5.30pm first saying he had a gun. The video has been blurred for legal reasons.

And then demanding staff give him diazepam – better known as Valium. He then walks behind the counter, where he looks up and down the shelves.

He then tells pharmacy owner, Chander Prinja, he has a knife. After scouring the shelves but not taking anything he walks over to the till.

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

The man then prods at the buttons on the till, before yanking it off the counter, destroying the pharmacy’s display and then walking out of the shop leaving items scattered across the floor. The owner later noticed the thief had placed a brick by the door to keep it open and hasten his escape.

The robber was white, clean-shaven, wearing a white polo shirt, a blue jacket and a black beanie hat. He was also wearing black tracksuit bottoms and white trainers, carrying an orange Sainsbury’s-style carrier bag.

The pharmacy’s owner, Chander Prinja, said he believed the robber was drunk and possibly under the influence. He told BirminghamLive: “We have never seen this guy before. He came in and he smelt of booze.

“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. 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.”

The full interview with Mr Chander can be read here. 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.

It is the second theft incident BirminghamLive has reported this week with Walmley Pharmacy in nearby Sutton Coldfield also being targeted by thieves in recent weeks.