Rampaging robber struck at West Yorkshire B&M, Currys and an Evri delivery driver during chaotic hour
A rampaging robber said he had “nothing to lose” as he spent an erratic hour committing a series of crimes.
Ibrahim Ali targeted shops, a parcel-delivery driver and a member of the public in what was later described as a “bizarre” turn of events.
He made no attempt to disguise himself, many of the items he stole were of little value and in one strange move, threw a stolen teddy bear at one of the victims.
It was later considered whether he was fit to face the courts before finally being deemed well enough.
The 27-year-old was jail for more than three years at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting three robberies and an assault.
He first targeted a couple at an ATM at the Post Office in Guiseley on October 29 last year at around 4.20pm.
As the woman went to take her money from the machine, Ali grabbed the cash and ran off, pursued by the woman’s partner.
Ali was pulled to the floor, but he then began lashing out, hitting the man “between eight and 10 times”, prosecutor Brian Russell told the court.
Ali then escaped in a black BMW, but he had left his own bank card behind in the melee.
But a short time later, he drove back to the scene asking people if they had seen his mobile phone which he had dropped. One witness said he was wielding a hammer at this point.
Minutes later, at around 5pm, he walked into Currys on Westside Retail Park, grabbed four laptops on display worth around £2,500 and fled the shop.
The manager followed him but Ali told him to stay away because he had a knife. He got into his BMW and drove off.
At 5.15pm, an Evri delivery driver was making a drop-and-collect stop at the BP garage on Otley Road when he was approached by Ali. It was already thought he had shoplifted in the garage, taking popcorn and a teddy bear.
The driver had around 10 parcels with him and Ali told him: “I’m having those.”
He took eight of the parcels and then threw the stolen teddy bear at the driver. He fled in the BMW once again.
Finally, he entered B&M on Otley Road minutes after leaving the garage. At around 5.30pm, staff noticed him pushing a trolley full of goods towards the exit and bypassing the tills.
A female staff member stepped in front of him but he told her: “Get out of my f****** way. I have nothing to lose and I will f****** hurt you.”
He smashed a bottle of wine from his trolley on the floor. He then left the shop, loaded up his stolen items and drove off erratically. Among the items he took was a vase, a duvet, Lego, cutlery and sweets.
He was finally stopped by police that evening still in his BMW with the items he had stolen.
Ali, of Hinchcliffe Street, Bradford, gave a largely no-comment interview but he said he had been sleeping rough.
He appeared in court this via week via video link from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.
Mitigating, Matthew Stewart said Ali had no previous convictions and that it was “extremely out of character”.
He said: “It’s clearly unusual. Mr Ali acknowledges that he has made a mistake that day and has thrown his life away by staining his good character. He is extremely remorseful.”
He said that Ali had been in crisis that day after his three-year relationship had ended and that a close family member had been diagnosed with cancer.
He said he had also stopped taking medication which may have affected his mood.
Judge Penelope Belcher gave him a 40-month jail sentence.