When the robbery goes wrong: Moment the quick-witted shopkeeper slams the shutters on the knife-wielding intruder to trap him until the police arrive
- Malcolm Trimble was captured when he became trapped under shutters in Durham
- He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison in the city’s Crown Court yesterday
This is when an armed robber was foiled by a quick-witted shopkeeper who locked him under shutters to hold him hostage until the police arrived.
Malcolm Trimble, 30, was captured in comical CCTV footage getting trapped under the metal shutters after targeting a liquor store in the city of Durham.
He was sentenced yesterday to three years and four months after admitting attempted robbery and possession of a knife
Trimble had walked into the store on May 12 with a large kitchen knife hidden in his sleeve before grabbing a four pack of lager and threatening the shopkeeper.
But the brave worker fled the premises and kept the door closed, trapping Trimble inside as he fought the door.
Malcolm Trimble (pictured), 30, was caught in comical CCTV footage getting trapped under the metal shutters after targeting a liquor store in the city of Durham
This is when an armed robber was foiled by a quick-witted shopkeeper who locked him under shutters to hold him hostage until the police arrived
He then calmly activated the security system to lower the store’s shutters.
Realizing he was about to be trapped, Trimble then attempted an Indiana Jones style slide to avoid the descending shutters.
But he made a mistake on his slide and, just before he could break free, he landed pinned to the ground – with his head in the shop and his torso in the street.
He couldn’t move because his head was pressed against the glass door as the weight of the shutters tied him to the ground.
As the shopkeeper called 999, Trimble admitted he had been caught and broke open a can of beer to drink as police arrived on the scene.
Officers arrived within three minutes of calling 911 and found the suspect lying in the street with his head in the store.
They released the shutters and promptly arrested him.
Trimble was sentenced to three years and four months in prison at Durham Crown Court yesterday after admitting attempted robbery and possession of a knife.
Detective Sergeant Paul Mawson, of Durham Constabulary, quipped: ‘It wasn’t the hardest arrest we’ve ever made.
“To be honest, it was an open and closed case.”
Trimble had walked into the store on May 12 with a large kitchen knife hidden in his sleeve before grabbing a four pack of lager and threatening the shopkeeper
However, the caught shopkeeper fled the store and restrained him inside, before he started to roll down the shutters
Trimble attempted an Indiana Jones-style slide under the shutters to escape the store
However, the CCTV footage captured the comical moment when he misinterpreted his slide, meaning he was trapped under the shutters until police arrived
Officers arrived within three minutes of calling 911 and found the suspect lying in the street with his head in the store. They released the shutters and promptly arrested him