Petrol station robber caught by passer-by

Published on Friday 27 February 2009 21:11

A ROBBER who held up a petrol station was caught after a Good Samaritan opened a door in his face, a court heard yesterday.

David Hay was fleeing with a handful of cash when he was tackled and held by a man who had been working nearby and heard screams.

Hay, 25, a prisoner, admitted robbing Annie Mika of 340 at Lamberts Garage, Scoonie Road, Leven, Fife, on 5 December last year. He will be sentenced next month.

The advocate-depute, Joanna Cherry, told the High Court in Edinburgh that Ms Mika did not hear Hay enter the shop.

She looked up, and he pointed a filled syringe at her and said: "I've got hepatitis C, give me the money out of the till."

He grabbed a bundle of notes and she began to cry and scream, and was heard by Matthew Fraser, a joiner who was working in the garage workshop.

"He went to investigate. Looking through the window, he saw the accused taking money from the till and Ms Mika with her hands raised. He ran in through the door at the same time the accused tried to run out and as he pushed the door, the accused ran into it, striking his face," said Miss Cherry.