Two-Time Bookie Bandit Jailed

An East London armed robber, caught on CCTV robbing the same bookies within a month, has been caged for seven years.

Karl Lawrence, 25, (pictured) used a silver handgun during the first raid (pic.mid.) and a knife on the second occasion (pic.bottom) at Coral's in Ripple Road, Dagenham.

Lawrence, of Woodward Road, Dagenham pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to two counts of robbery, possessing a firearm, with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of a bladed article.

He seized around £1,500 in total before detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service's Flying Squad identified and then arrested him.

Detective Constable Fareed Mirza, of the Flying Squad, said: "These were two terrifying ordeals for Lawrence's victims in which he very deliberately made them fear that they might come to serious harm.



"Anyone who is willing to inflict such fear for their own material gain deserves to spend a significant amount of time behind bars.



"I would like to pay tribute to my colleagues from the Flying Squad whose good work has put this dangerous offender in prison."



At 3.45pm on August 3, last year Lawrence approached an elderly male cashier as he returned to his counter and gained access to a secure area.



He assaulted the cashier and pulled out a handgun which he pointed at the man before threatening to shoot him if he didn't fill a bag with cash.



Money was taken from cash registers and a safe, and Lawrence fled with £900 before officers arrived. 



On September 7 at 8.30am Lawrence followed a female employee into the bookmakers after she had gone outside to smoke a cigarette.



As she went behind a counter he rushed in behind her and pulled out a large kitchen knife, which he used to threaten her as he demanded she open a safe.



This time, he took £605 from the venue before leaving on foot.