An armed robber had his criminal plan foiled by a heroic shopkeeper - who trapped him under the store's shutter as he tried to escape. 

Last month, Martin Trimble walked into a convenience store in Durham City with a knife concealed under his jacket sleeve, picked up a four-pack of lager, and then threatened the shopkeeper with the weapon.

But he had not considered the quick thinking of the man behind the counter, who fled the premises and held the door closed to keep the intruder inside.

The Durham shopkeeper then cooly activated the system to lower the shop’s metal roller shutters from the outside.

 

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Realising he was about to be trapped, Trimble tried to use brute strength to force open the door and, having finally forced the shopkeeper to release his grip on the handle, attempted to slide through the doorway to escape the descending shutters.

Unfortunately for the robber, his mistimed slide ended with him pinned to the floor with his head inside the shop and his torso in the street, where the intended victim was calmly calling the police for assistance.

After a brief but ultimately futile attempt to wriggle free, Trimble consoled himself by reaching for one last can of lager to drink during his final moments of freedom.

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Officers arrived within three minutes of the 999 call to find the suspect lying in the street with his head inside the shop. They released the shutters and promptly arrested him.

At Durham Crown Court yesterday, 30-year-old Trimble was jailed for three years and four months after admitting attempted robbery and possession of a knife.

Detective Sergeant Paul Mawson, of Durham Constabulary, said: “It wasn’t the most difficult arrest we have ever made. To be honest, it was an open and shut case.”