Under the Theft Act 1968, robbery is defined as theft with force, or with the threat of force, meaning that those who carry out robberies or attempted robberies threaten, or inflict, violence upon against those they intend to steal from.
The criminals pictured here have robbed and attempted to rob businesses and people in South Yorkshire, and have all been jailed during hearings held at Sheffield Crown Court in 2022.
In some cases, robbers have threatened people with weapons including imitation firearms, baseball bats and knives including a machete.
5. Gary Day: Robber who held up two stores by threatening staff with knives is jailed
During a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court earlier this year, Gary Day, then aged 41, formerly of Mount Street, entered a Lloyds Pharmacy on September 1, 2020, before threatening staff with a knife, forcing them into a back room and making off with tablets and cash from the till. Two days later, he robbed a McColls convenience store where he again threatened staff with a knife before taking cash from the till, alcohol and cigarettes. At Sheffield Crown Court, Day pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery and possessing a knife. He was jailed for 13 years and three months. Photo: SYP
6. Fahima Ismail: Cash-machine robber targeted kind man who had already given her £5
Sheffield Crown Court heard on March 11 this year how Fahima Ismail, then aged 25, of Wilfred Close, Darnall, Sheffield, was outside a Sainsbury’s store, on Hanover Street, when she was given £5 by a man before she asked for more money and stole his bank card as he tried to use a cash machine. Judge Rachael Harrison told Ismail: "You committed a robbery on October 1, 2020. The victim was treating you with kindness. You bothered him. You were relentlessly requesting money. You interfered with his attempt to take money from a cashpoint.” Giles Bridge, prosecuting, said Ismail had told the complainant she needed food and water which is why he gave her £5 but she asked for £25 to catch a train home and she followed him to a cash machine. Mr Bridge added that Ismail altered the cash machine screen so it dispensed £40 and she tried to grab the cash and then managed to grab his bank card and she told the complainant he could have the card back if he gave her cash. During a further scuffle Ismail tried to get the complainant’s cash, according to Mr Bridge, before store staff managed to get the card back from the defendant. The defendant gave ‘no comment’ answers to police and she refused to watch CCTV footage of the incident near the University of Sheffield so she had to be identified by the store security staff. Ismail, who has convictions including theft, threatening behaviour, attempted robbery and burglary, pleaded guilty to the robbery which happened on October 1, 2020. Judge Harrison described Ismail as “a menace” before sentencing her to ten months of custody. Photo: SYP
7. Melody Wolf: "Cruel" armed robber is jailed after a terrifying Post Office raid
Sheffield Crown Court heard on March 17 this year how Melody Wolf, then aged 31, of Birchall Avenue, Whiston, Rotherham, and an unknown man raided the Post Office shop on Far Lane, at East Dene, Rotherham, while a couple who owned the business were working early one morning. Recorder Meghan Rhys told Wolf: “This offence was committed by you with another and you are just as responsible for the consequences as that other person.” Katherine White, prosecuting, said the male accomplice grabbed the female complainant and she was thrown to the floor as he demanded keys. During the struggle, Ms White said the woman’s husband had also seen the male coming towards him with what had looked like a big screwdriver and he was stabbed in the hand and kicked hard in the back before Wolf helped to restrain him. Ms White added that Wolf was also seen holding something to the neck of the woman’s husband as she held him down at the front of the store and the woman believed it was a knife. But Wolf and her accomplice, who has never been identified, fled from the shop after a witness saw the couple on the floor with the two offenders standing over them, according to Ms White. Mother-of-two Wolf pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery and to possessing an offensive weapon after the raid on September 27, 2021. She also admitted failing to surrender to the court on October 26, 2021. Recorder Rhys sentenced Wolf to 43 months of custody and agreed with Mr Baptiste that what the defendant had done was “cowardly, callous and cruel”. Photo: SYP
8. Alexander Riley: Serial street robber identified from DNA in saliva after he bit terrified victim in underpass
Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 28 this year how Alexander Riley, then aged 29, of no fixed abode, was part of a small gang of “street drug users” who left their victims scared for their safety and their lives. Photo: SYP