Man who robbed Darwen shop and threatened boys with knife jailed
Police have called it an appalling and cowardly mini crime spree
A man has been jailed for more than two and a half years after robbing a Darwen supermarket and threatening two boys with a knife to try and get their bikes.
Alec Harris, 27 of Astbury Chase, Darwen, put a 10 pack of lager on the till of the Co-op on Blackburn Road at around 8:25pm on 20 June.
When he was asked if he wanted a carrier bag, Harris tried to force his way behind the counter. He pointed a knife at the store worker, saying "Open the till, give me your money."
When the store worker said he couldn't, Harris said: "You can. You can. I am going to kill you."
After Harris grabbed some cash from the till and left, he approached two boys on Earnsdale Road and shouted at them to give him their bikes.
One of them cycled up the hill as fast as he could and the other saw Harris pull a knife from his pocket.
Harris then ran at them with the knife and threw it at one of them.
He then said: "I'll pay you for it. Just give it to me."
The 27-year-old then went into a nearly club and paid ÂŁ1.60 for a Pepsi. He gave the person behind the bar with ÂŁ10 stolen from the Co-op and told her to keep the change.
An investigation was launched and Harris was arrested four days later.
He was charged with robbery, two attempted robberies and possessing a bladed article in a public place.
He's been sentenced to two years and eight months behind bars.
DC Matthew Gallagher, of East CID, said:
"This was an appalling and cowardly mini crime spree, committed against an adult in his place of work and two children. Thankfully although understandably shaken, the victims were not physically harmed by Harris’s actions.
"Lancashire Police will not tolerate behaviour like this, especially offences involving weapons, and we will do all we can to put the offenders before the courts."