Upminster armed robber who ‘threatened to shoot’ before fleeing with £5,000 is jailed

An armed robber who managed to steal thousands of pounds from three different travel agents has been jailed for 13 years.

Robert Darling, 37, of no fixed abode but from the Southwark area, today admitted a series of robberies, including a £5,000 heist of Thomson travel agents in Corbets Tey Road, Upminster, on October 21.

Darling forced the door open and entered the shop with an imitation firearm before fleeing the scene with the cash.

He was detained by officers from the Flying Squad at an address later the same day with the gun and money from the robbery recovered.

Darling was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court earlier today after admitting another two robberies at travel agents in Bexleyheath and Kent.

In the Bexley robbery, Darling stole £67,000, while in Kent, he stole £32,000 but the money from these offences has not been recovered.

Dc Leisa Johnson, of the Met’s Organised Crime Command, said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for all of the people involved. The firearm pointed at them appeared genuine and this was coupled with threats to shoot them from Darling.

“This has the understandable effect of causing the staff genuine fear for their lives.

“This sentence reflects the seriousness of the three incidents.”