Man Jailed After Staff Tackle Armed Robber Captured on CCTV

An individual who attempted an armed robbery and was subsequently apprehended by store employees after they wrestled him to the ground has received a prison sentence of almost five years. Robert Danskin, aged 36, was recorded by CCTV cameras in June as he attempted to rob the Nisa local store situated in Abbey View, Dunfermline, employing an imitation firearm. Nevertheless, the cashier declined to surrender any cash, prompting other staff members to intervene and restrain him on the floor. At Edinburgh High Court, Judge Lord Scott stated that the staff should be “commended” for their bravery and imposed a sentence of four years and eight months imprisonment on Danskin. Video recordings of the unsuccessful robbery attempt circulated extensively across social media platforms. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Danskin carried out the offense in an effort to settle a £1,000 drug debt owed to dealers who had issued threats to “kneecap” him. After hearing testimony from defence solicitor advocate Ann Ogg detailing Danskin’s addiction to crack cocaine, Lord Scott informed him that incarceration was necessary for the crime. Lord Scott further remarked that the staff’s intervention in preventing the robbery had “saved” Danskin from potentially receiving a more severe sentence if his attempt had been successful. Employees informed BBC Scotland News that “autopilot had kicked in” during the event, despite their collective belief that the weapon was genuine. They also stated that it was only subsequently “that it really hit us.” CCTV footage presented to the court depicted a masked Danskin entering the establishment and aiming a firearm directly at the cashier. Prosecutors characterized the weapon as appearing identical to a genuine one. The cashier informed him that he would not receive any money and called for assistance, at which moment Danskin climbed over the counter and initiated a struggle with her, prior to threatening another female employee. Immediately thereafter, another employee vaulted over the counter, struck Danskin, and seized him, before additional staff members assisted in restraining the assailant. Danskin, a resident of Dunfermline, pleaded guilty to assaulting a store employee while brandishing an imitation firearm. Lord Scott declared that Danskin continued to pose “a serious risk of harm to the public” and that his drug addiction did not serve as a justification for his conduct. He concluded by stating: “I hope you get the help and support you need to remain drug free.”