A man is facing jail after he admitted robbing a Tesco Express in Bury St Edmunds.
Jordan Carr, 31, of no fixed address, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday via video link and pleaded guilty to robbery and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent following the incident on March 23.
Two men entered the Tesco Express store on the Moreton Hall estate in Lawson Place around 5.30am and threatened members of staff.
The men stole £2,240 in cash, two mobile phones, a bottle of Jack Daniels and the keys to a white Suzuki Alto, which was then taken from outside the shop. The car was found later that day in Ashwell Road, Bury.
Peter Thompson, Bury St Edmunds Town Councillor for Moreton Hall Ward lives on the estate after moving from his hometown of Liverpool, due to the safety and reputation of the area.
“One of the reasons I moved here is because it is a lovely safe place,” he said. “In 12 years I have only ever seen one other incident like this.
“The reason I was most disgusted was that it happened at the time when Covid had just started happening, there’s was barely anything on the shelves and people were being left without stuff they really needed.
“Not that there is ever an acceptable time to do something like this, but when you see it happening on your doorstep at a time when everyone is relying on each other to get by is just disgusting.
“People were relying on that shop to get by day to day.”
Judge David Goodin ordered a report assessing dangerousness and remanded Carr in custody.
He will appear for sentence at Ipswich Crown Court on September 10.
Judge Goodin warned Carr that the offence “will attract an immediate custodial sentence of considerable length”.
Like many residents of the Moreton Hall estate, Mr Thompson uses the Tesco Express daily and is on friendly terms with the manager and staff..
He added: “Shop staff were already scared about Covid and the risks they were taking to serve others.
“To go in and take advantage of the place during that time – I hope he recognises the impact he has had on our community.”
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