AN ammonia-hurling robber was caught on camera destroying a shop after he had been locked inside.
Alexander Boyd had carried out the hold-up at the USave store in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire – his second there in just two days.
The thug targeted the USave shop in the town’s Glebe Place[/caption]
He threw ammonia at a worker, who managed to escape and pulled down the shutters with the 46 year-old still in the shop.
A raging Boyd left the owners with a £70,000 repair bill after trashing the premises as he tried to get out.
The incident saw police in riot gear and fire crews in hazmat suits called to the scene.
Residents also had to leave their homes due to fears of a potential blaze.
Boyd was eventually held and he appeared at the High Court in Glasgow this week.
The thug – who already had a prolific criminal record – was jailed for seven years after he admitted his guilt.
Boyd had initially gone to the shop in Glebe Place, Cambuslang, on November 9 last year.
A worker was on his own that afternoon when Boyd came in with his hood up.
He initially wanted to buy cigarettes then asked if store sold ammonia.
He picked up a bottle, put money on counter and left.
But, just 30 secnds later, Boyd stormed back in, unscrewed the ammonia and threatened the worker.
He demanded cash before being handed money from the till.
Two days later, on November 11, Boyd was back and was told he was barred after what earlier happened.
But, he ignored this worker and starting putting items on the counter before paying for a bar of chocolate and biscuits.
However, just minutes later, he was back to carry out the second hold-up.
Armed again with the ammonia, Boyd warned: “This bottle is open – I will put it in your face.”
The shop assistant brandished a wooden stick to try and defend himself eventually tussling with the thug.
Boyd chased after the man chucking the ammonia at him on three occasions.
The worker got out before Boyd also left with the shop’s PayPoint machine.
But, he again soon came back to the now empty store.
He emptied the till into a plastic bag and snatched bundles of cigarettes.
Mr Gill then said: “The worker returned along with another man. They pulled down the steel shutter and held it closed.
“Boyd tried to leave, but realised that he was trapped inside.
“He went to the back store room to get a different way out before trying the front door again.”
The prosecutor stated, over the next 10 minutes, a raging Boyd
“smashed up the inside of the shop and store room” in a desperate bid to flee.
He pulled down ceiling tiles, ripped wires, smashed up a toilet and broke water pipes.
He also trashed shelves, smashed front windows and damaged a CCTV monitor.
Police then turned up with the traumatised worker still outside.
Mr Gill: “He showed them a live feed on his mobile phone from the shop’s CCTV cameras and they were able to watch Boyd as he smashed up the store.”
Specialist officers equipped with helmets and shields as well as firefighters wearing hazmat suits were called to the scene.
Mr Gill: “Residents of the flats above the shop were evacuated as police were concerned that there was a potential fire risk.
“Paramedics examined the store worker and confirmed that he had no injuries.”
Police eventually got into the shop around two hours later and found Boyd lying on shelves.
He made no comment when held.
Boyd, of Castlemilk, Glasgow, already had a long list of previous convictions including a 40 month jail-term for shoplifting and attempted fraud in 2015.
He was also on licence at the time having been freed early from another prison-term.
Lord Arthurson cut the latest sentence from nine years due to the guilty pleas.
Boyd admitted to two assault and robbery charges as well as another of malicious damage.
The judge said Boyd had an “abysmal” criminal record and that the crimes must have been a “frightening experience” for those involved.
Boyd was jailed for seven years at the High Court in Glasgow[/caption]
