Jail for man who committed two robberies at knifepoint

A man who carried out two knifepoint robberies and committed a string of other theft offences has been jailed for five-and-a-half years.

Gary Boothe, 40 and of no fixed address, was handed the prison term at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday 4 February 2019 after pleading guilty to two robberies, three theft offences and three counts of possession of a bladed article. He also asked for two theft offences and one attempted theft offence to be taken into consideration.

The first robbery charge relates to an incident which occurred at 9.30am on Thursday 15 November 2018 at Coral bookmakers on Oakdale Road in Poole.

Boothe approached the counter and spoke to a member of staff before walking around the store. He then returned to the counter, opened a burgundy and cream bag and pulled out a breadknife, which was around six inches long. Boothe made numerous demands for money. He then climbed onto the counter and crawled along it. The member of staff, fearful for his safety, emptied the contents of the till and safe into the bag. Boothe left the store with approximately £720.

The second robbery occurred at 11.12am on Saturday 17 November 2018 at Bet Fred on Commercial Road in Bournemouth. Boothe entered the shop, waited for a male member of staff to go on his break and approached a lone female cashier. He pulled a knife from his holdall and threatened the cashier. He then jumped over the counter and ordered her to empty notes and change from the till and safe into the bag. He left with around £2,240.

Boothe was arrested and interviewed over two days on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 November 2018 after he was positively picked out during an identity procedure and his fingerprint was forensically linked to the scene.

He was also arrested and charged in connection with a cash theft at Co-op on Queens Road in Bournemouth on Monday 15 October 2018, theft of a large quantity of stock from Vape of Good Hope on Fairmile Road in Christchurch on Tuesday 16 October 2018 and theft of an iPad Mini from Solutions Inc. in Old Christchurch Road in Bournemouth the same day. He later pleaded guilty to these offences.

During the incident at Co-op a member of staff attempted to shut Boothe’s hands in the till as he stole the money. As Boothe ran out of the store, he dropped a Co-op bag containing a large kitchen knife. 

At sentencing Boothe was told once released from prison he would have to serve an extended licence period of a further five years and three months due the danger he poses to the public. The judge praised the victims of the robberies and theft at the Co-op for their “impeccable bravery” with what they were faced with.

Detective Constable Aimee Lloyd, of Bournemouth CID, said: “Gary Boothe was responsible for targeting businesses in and around the Bournemouth and Poole areas over a sustained period of time.

“He took a knife to the bookmakers and threatened a member of staff for his own gain. This must have been a terrifying experience for them.

“Dorset Police takes offences such as this extremely seriously and we will do everything in our power to investigate these incidents and bring offenders such as Boothe before the court.”