An armed shop robber has been jailed for almost seven years after you helped us identify him following an appeal for information.
Richard McAteer stormed into One Stop in Hodge Hill with an axe as he forced two terrified female workers to open a safe.
He escaped with cash from the store off Marylands Avenue on 27 September 2019 and, after securing clear CCTV, officers quickly launched an appeal to identify him.
His image was posted on our social media channels and information from the public helped us identify him as responsible.
Police were able to connect him to a Ford Fiesta which was seen in the area, and believed to have been used as a getaway vehicle, and he was arrested from the vehicle on 1 October. Inside was a jacket matching that worn by the robber.
McAteer of Turnley Road, Shard End, admitted robbery but always denied possession of an offensive weapon.
However, following a drawn out process he finally accepted having the axe and the 46-year-old was jailed for six years and nine months at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday (17 June).
DC Craig Dando, from force CID, said: “This was a terrifying experience for the shop staff who were threatened and left fearing for their safety.
“But thanks to the united efforts of the police and public we were able to quickly identify and arrest McAteer.
“He continually denied having the axe but we were determined to ensure he was convicted of being an armed robber, to reflect the full horror he put his victims through.
“This was a serious offence and he rightly now spends longer behind bars on the back of this conviction.”