A shopkeeper who was robbed at knife-point twice in the space of five days says he wishes no harm to the culprit, who has been jailed for more than three years.
Andre Rose struck twice at Shreeji Newsagents, in The Crossways, Heston, and once at a barbershop in nearby Vicarage Farm Road during a week-long spree between October 30 and November 5 last year.
The 27-year-old, of Wesley Avenue, Hounslow, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday (February 27) to 40 months in prison, having previously admitted three counts of robbery.
Rose struck first at the hairdressers, holding a 12-inch knife to the throat of his victim, who was cutting a customer's hair at the time. He ordered him to hand over his wallet, threatening to "put a knife inside his body" if he refused, the court heard.
He then robbed the newsagents for the first time on November 1, this time holding a knife to owner Ghanshyam Patel's throat as he emptied the till and stole cigarettes.
He returned the next Wednesday, November 5, flashing the blade in front of terrified customers and telling Mr Patel to "let me do my job" as he helped himself to the contents of the till.
Mr Patel, who has owned the family business since 1990 but had never before been robbed, said he believed it was a prank at first.
"When I saw him I thought he was here a day late for Halloween with a mask on, because we had lots of trick-or-treaters the day before. Even when I saw the knife I initially assumed it was plastic and he was just joking," he told getwestlondon. "When I realised it was for real I didn't panic. I thought: 'If he's going to do it, he's going to do it'.
"The second time there were six to eight customers in the store. He didn't put the knife to my throat. He said: 'Don't move, let me do my job'.
"I've got no enemies in life. The shop is named after a god and anyone who enters is blessed by god, so I don't wish any harm to anyone."
Rose, who was persuaded by his family to hand himself in following a police appeal, told officers he had committed the robberies to cover his debts.
