Teenagers sentenced for Heywood supermarket robbery

Two teenagers have been given detention orders for their part in a robbery at Costcutters, Bury New Road, Heywood. The pair were among three youths who threatened staff with imitation firearms.

The two boys, aged 16 and 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, earlier pleaded guilty to robbery at Minshull Crown Court.

They were both sentenced on 10 December to 18 month detention orders.

Armed with what appeared to be a silver handgun, the trio entered the store at around 21.45 on 13 April 2014.

He shouted at the staff to give him money and the second robber, who was holding a knife, followed him towards the counter.

The gunman then went behind the till while his accomplice stood between the shop door and the till, keeping guard.

They forced staff to open two tills and they escaped with £500.

No one was hurt by the robbers but the staff were left extremely shaken.

The robbers were caught after being spotted by a Police Officer leaving the scene in taxi.

Detective Sergeant Diane Johnson, based at Middleton, said: “These robbers may have been young, but that would make no difference to the people they terrorised.

“Also of little consolation to the shop staff is that fact that it was later discovered that the weapon used was an imitation firearm. The threat of having that pointed at you has exactly the same effect as a real gun and the psychological repercussions can last a long time.

“Thankfully, some good police work led us to the three robbers and two of them have been sentenced to 18 months in a Youth Offenders Institution to contemplate the reckless stupidity of their actions.”