A robber who held up a McDonald’s restaurant has been jailed for six years after he tripped over a child’s buggy as he made his escape – and dropped £13,000 of cash.
Hapless Bilal Shabazz, 22, and his accomplice pinned down a Securicor delivery driver in a violent attack before grabbing a cash box from his hands.
However, as he fled the scene the ”amateurish” crook fell over a child’s buggy and the cash box crashed to the ground – scattering money across a car park.
The incident was spotted by police officers who chased Shabazz before arresting him just minutes later.
Judge Anthony Bate jailed Shabazz, of Deptford, London., for six years at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday after he admitted robbery.
He said: ”That buggy proved to be your undoing. You tried to jump over it, but tripped and the cash box broke open.”
Prosecutor Marti Blair said Shabazz attacked the security guard at a McDonald’s fast food restaurant in Cambridge, on October 19 last year.
He said: ”He was shouting ‘get out of the way’ and went to jump over the pushchair.
”He tripped and the cash box hit the ground and broke open.
”By good fortune, a police car was driving past and saw the defendant chased by the security officer.
”Det Con (Louise) Steels opened the car door into the defendant as he ran.
”Another officer went after the other man, but saw the defendant go for his pocket and went to help his colleague. The other male was able to get away.”
Mark Shelley, defending, said the raid was committed out of ”desperation” because Shabazz had racked up massive debts.
He said: ”The whole thing was a botched job. There were witnesses, police were near and it was very amateurish.
”It was done through desperation and not much thought went into it.”
Shabazz’s accomplice has never been identified or arrested.
Judge Bate praised DC Louise Steels, PC Blake Carrington and security officer Graham Hawkes, 53, and recommended them for High Sheriff’s awards for bravery.
