Bungling bomb threat robber wrote demand note that Post Office cashier could not read

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... e-25317217

A ham-fisted robber's attempt to raid a post office in Birmingham was hampered by a cashier's inability to understand him or read his handwriting. After giving up he tried his luck at a bookies where he had more communication difficulties after claiming he had a bomb and only managed to get away with £15.

Martin Travers went into the post office in central Birmingham at around 4pm on July 6 last year carrying a red shoe box, wearing a hoodie and sunglasses. "He approached the counter and said 'Put it in now' but she (the cashier) did not understand what he was saying," said Harinderpal Dhami, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court.


"He repeated what he said and placed a piece of paper on the counter but she was unable to read the writing. He then said 'You have 40 seconds, put the money in the box.

"She still did not understand and he then said 'You now have 20 seconds." The defendant then became frustrated and walked out of the post office telling the woman he would "pop" her which she took as a threat to shoot her.

Travers then travelled a short distance to a bookmakers in Broad Street where he approached a woman behind the counter there "but due to the mask he was wearing she could not quite understand him." After making a money demand he then produced a piece of paper with phone numbers written on it.

The cashier told him that she could not phone the numbers but he then turned it over where the demand was written but she refused. Travers, who still had the shoe box with him, then told her there was something in it that "could go off," before placing it on the counter.

The woman then started to call the police but the defendant did not seem phased by this and tried to grab cash from a till. She tried to close it but he managed to snatch £15 before leaving and taking the shoe box with him.

Mr Dhami said Travers was monitored by CCTV operators before being arrested and that he was seen throwing the box in a bin. It was later recovered and found to contain items including a WIfi booster and a plastic tub which was designed to appear like an improvised explosive device.

Travers, 32, of Markby Road, Hockley, who had previously admitted robbery and attempted robbery, was jailed for four years and 10 months. In passing sentence, Judge Andrew Smith KC said the defendant had made great efforts to make the device look like a bomb and that he had been hoping for a "significant reward."


Defending Queenie Djan said Travers had a drug addiction and was alcohol dependent and that he had made progress while in custody.