Two men jailed for Slough post office robbery
Two men have been sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison for armed robbery, following an incident at Castle View post office in London Road, Langley, Slough in January 2007.
Andrew Michael King, 26, and Gerrard Michael Tyndall, aged 36, both of no fixed abode, were each sentenced to six years in prison at Reading Crown Court on Friday (27/7). The men had pleaded guilty to armed robbery at an earlier hearing.
At about 3pm on Tuesday 2 January, there were several customers, a representative from a greetings card company and two female members of staff in Castle View, Slough post office when two men burst in.
One of the men, later identified as Tyndall, was carrying what appeared to be a sawn-off shotgun. He used this to push the card company salesman, who fell backwards, knocking a nearby mug stand and causing some of the mugs to crash to the floor and break.
The two robbers shouted to those present that this was an armed robbery, telling them to move to the back of the shop and get down on the floor. While they all did as they were told, the men approached the counter and demanded money.
During the robbery, another customer walked into the shop. He too was threatened with the weapon and told to lie on the floor.
When the staff behind the counter said they were unable to open the locked safe, the robbers took approximately £1,200 from the till. They also stole some packets of tobacco before leaving the shop and driving off.
The post office staff immediately called the police, who took numerous witness statements and gathered forensic and CCTV evidence. Tyndall was arrested in Slough on 4 January and his accomplice King on 5 January. Both men were subsequently charged with armed robbery.
Slough Det Sgt Lisa Everard, who led the investigation into the robbery, said: “This crime had a big impact on the post office customers, staff and the rest of the community, as the offenders used a firearm and were aggressive. There were all types of people in the shop at the time, from families with children to two elderly ladies, as well as two female staff behind the counter. Everyone was very shaken up and some people were affected long after the robbery took place.
“I would particularly like to thank all those members of the public who were very helpful to us. Their co-operation aided our inquiries significantly. There were also a large number of police officers and police staff from different departments involved in the investigation. It was great teamwork all round – and a great result!”
Thames Valley Police ~ Slough