Alnwick shop robber found by police in bed 'surrounded by bank notes'

A thief who was arrested in bed surrounded by bank notes after robbing a convenience shop has been jailed.

Blayne Rourke entered the store in Alnwick, Northumberland just after 9:15pm on 6 February while shop assistants were cashing up after a day of trading.

The 26-year-old threatened to stab the worker if they did not open the till and told them he had a knife.

Rourke forcibly removed the cash register from the till area and made off with about £2,000 in mixed banknotes.

However, just 15-minutes later Rourke was arrested after being tracked to a nearby address.

When officers gained entry, he was found lying on a bed surrounded by bank notes, a spokesperson for Northumbria Police said.

He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of robbery and, less than 24 hours later, he was charged with the offence.

He pleaded guilty to the charges at Newcastle Crown Court earlier this year and on Friday 14 July was jailed for four years at the same court and ordered to pay a surcharge to the victims.

In charge of the investigation was Detective Constable Lisa Stanley, of Northumbria Police’s Criminal Investigation Department, who said: “Rourke entered the shop premises and threatened the staff who were only trying to do their jobs – making them believe he was in possession of a knife.

“Thankfully, Rourke was not in possession of a knife, but his threats will still have felt extremely real.

“One of the members of staff was assaulted during the offence but was able to fight off the attack and flee the scene. This was an incredibly traumatic experience for her which has caused a great deal of distress and is something she should not have had to endure.

“Thanks to the bravery of she and her colleagues, and members of the public at the time, Rourke is beginning a custodial prison sentence.

“This is a fantastic outcome and most importantly spares the victims from reliving the experience at trial. I hope the outcome provides reassurance to the local community and, in particular, those who were involved.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...