A robber armed with a blue BB gun who targeted a travel agent in Chatham has been jailed for seven years.

Daryl Cook entered the High Street store on February 12 and stole a large quantity of cash after threatening staff with the weapon.

The incident happened at around 3.50pm where Cook entered the store wearing a black tracksuit and purple latex gloves

He threatened three employees while ushering them towards the foreign currency exchange office with the weapon.

The 36-year-old of Bryant Street, Chatham demanded staff to open the safe but they were unable to do so because of a time lock.

He then demanded them to open a different till and he stole a large quantity of cash, which he placed into a carrier bag before leaving on foot.

He was detained a fortnight later, when officers noticed the blue handgun in the pocket of one of his jackets after visiting his home.

Officers then found the same clothing he had worn during the incident while searching the address.

Cook admitted robbery and possessing an imitation firearm and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court yesterday.

As well as the charges, he also admitted to a number of other thefts.

He stole more than £700 of goods from a supermarket in Maidstone Road, Chatham on four occasions between December last year, and January 2020.

He also admitted to stealing a DVD player from a shop on the same road on December 18, and to the burglary of a premises in The Brook, and possessing amphetamines on Christmas Eve last year.

DC Richard Sears, from Kent Police’s Chief Constable’s Crime Squad, said: "Cook is a serial thief who has shown he is prepared to use violence as a means to steal money.

"Although the weapon used during the robbery was not capable of firing live ammunition, it still had the capability to inflict serious injury and the victims were, understandably, extremely distressed by the incident.

"I am pleased that we have secured justice for them.

"I also have little doubt that if Cook was not arrested when he was, he would have continued to have stolen from law abiding businesses across Medway. His imprisonment is a good result for the towns."

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