A shotgun-wielding thug in motorbike gear robbed three boozers around Essex Road over the summer and is still at large.
Scotland Yard’s Flying Squad are appealing for help in catching the brazen crook, who walked into pubs and pointed weapons in the face of barmaids before demanding cash.
He first struck at The Duchess of Kent in Prebend Street at 10.15pm on July 31. Wearing a motorbike helmet he walked in, pointed a double-barrelled shotgun at the worker, threw a bag at her and told her to fill it. He ran off towards Coleman Fields with £499.
On August 11 at 2pm he then entered The Kings in Essex Road in a black motorbike helmet and this time wearing an orange hi-vis tabard. After loitering outside he walked into the busy boozer and again pointed a gun at the barmaid, telling her to “put the money in the bag”. He calmly left with £500 and customers sat inches away at the bar were unaware a robbery had taken place.
Then, at closing time at The Green Man in Essex Road on August 20 he struck for the third time, in what police called a “brave” move. This time he wore a blue and white striped crash helmet and an oversized camouflage coat. He walked behind the bar and pointed a double-barrelled shotgun at the lone barmaid, Laura Lorderdale.
Speaking to the Gazette this week, she said: “It was after closing and there were a few regular customers left. He came in the side door with a helmet on and pointed this thing at me. It was only when he pointed it at me I realised it wasn’t real and I told him: ‘It’s not real you c***, – f*** off.’
“He asked for the money again and I said the same thing. He’s gone to move out and I’ve chased after him. One of the regs held him and grabbed his helmet, there was a scuffle but he ran out of the side door and up Essex Road.”
Police say the suspect is a white or light-skinned black man, between 5ft 5in and 5ft 8in. He had a local accent and was in his late teens or early 20s.
Det Con Phelim Redmond told the Gazette: “These are brazen robberies using a gratuitous level of violence in threatening lone female members of staff with a firearm. The suspect is clearly local and someone out there must know who he is. He needs to be caught.”
Anyone with any information can contact the Flying Squad on 0208 785 8655 and ask to speak to DC Redmond.
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