Robber tried to snatch hundreds from elderly man in Leeds amusement arcade
Staff and customers intervened during scuffle
An opportunist robber attempted to snatch hundreds of pounds from an elderly man playing slot machines in an amusement arcade.
Dilali Dembel was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week for the attack on the victim who was dragged across the floor as he fought back.
The incident was caught on CCTV in Merkur Slots on Armley’s Town Street and was played to the court.
Dembel and the victim had both been in the premises at around 11.15pm on April 12.
Footage showed him watching the oblivious 69-year-old man sat at a machine.
Dembel then asked a member of staff for a drink, and as the employee walked out of view, Dembel lunged the victim shouting at him: “Give me the money.”
He put his hand in the man’s pocket and pulled out the £255 in cash.
The man fought back and the pair fell to the floor, with the victim refusing to let him go and was subsequently dragged across the carpet.
Staff and other customers then intervened and pinned 25-year-old Dembel down.
He then wriggled free and fled the arcade without the stolen cash. The victim was shaken but uninjured.
Dembel, of Butterbowl Gardens, Farnley, was recognised from the footage and arrested weeks later.
During a first interview, he refused to answer questions but then admitted the robbery during a second interview.
He also admitted five counts of thefts including stealing more than £4,800 worth of goods from the B&M shop in Kirkstall.
He has four previous convictions for 12 offences, including multiple shop thefts. He appeared in court over a video link from HMP Doncaster where he was being held on remand.
Mitigating, Lily Wildman said he was still a young man and was remorseful for his crimes.
She said he had spent a significant amount of time under the influence of cannabis and alcohol, but since being on remand was clean and wanted to remain so once released.
Judge Penelope Belcher told Dembel: “It was a nasty and mean robbery directed at an elderly man.”
She jailed him for two years.