Two men have been jailed for carrying out a knifepoint robbery at a convenience store in Blackpool.
Christopher Walton (27) of John Foran Close, Manchester, and Cameron Wassall (31) of Moor Park Avenue, Blackpool pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery.
At Preston Crown Court, Walton (pictured main) was jailed for three years and nine months, and Wassall (pictured left) was jailed for two years and six months.
Lancashire Police launched an investigation after cash and cigarettes were taken in a raid at One Stop, Dinmore Avenue, in January this year.
Around 9.51pm on January 25, the shop assistant was tidying up, getting ready to close, when two men walked in.
One of them approached the counter and shouted, “Bag of cigs now!” with the shop assistant thinking he was joking. However, the second man pulled out a kitchen knife from his jacket.
The shop assistant began filling a bag with cigarettes but the man holding the knife demanded he hand over cash from the till.
Both offenders left the shopin a taxi. The knife used in the robbery was found nearby.
Detective constable Alexa Taylor of West CID, said: “This was an offence where a knife was used to threaten a shop assistant while he was doing his job.
“Lancashire Police will investigate thoroughly any such offences and aim to bring offenders to justice.
“Two men have now been given prison sentences and we hope that provides reassurance in the local community.”
