Bungling robber leaves photo ID at Brighton crime scene (From The Argus)

Bungling robber leaves photo ID at Brighton crime scene

3:40pm Tuesday 22nd September 2009 in News By Alison Cridland

A bungling masked raider left his identity card behind after ordering betting shop staff to open a safe.

Gavin Pryce, who was branded an “incompetent robber” by a judge, is now starting four years behind bars.

The court was told how staff in a London Road, Brighton, branch of Ladbrokes thought Pryce was armed with a gun when he demanded cash.

The 29-year-old, who was wearing a hoodie and a scarf so only his eyes were visible, fled with more than £1,000.

Ryan Richter, prosecuting, told the court Pryce went to the bookies on April 13 at about 9pm as it was closing.

Two members of staff were still working but no customers were inside.

He shouted out "Give me the money" before vaulting over the counter and demanding the frightened staff open the safe.

Mr Richter said: "He had his hand in his pocket and both members of staff were very scared as they believed believed he had a weapon, a firearm."

Pryce stole £1,000 from the safe and £389 from the tills.

He asked the staff where the rest of the money was but they denied there was any more cash.

As Pryce pulled a plastic carrier bag from his pocket to collect the money, he failed to notice the New Deal identity card as well as a return train ticket from Croydon to Brighton, fell out on to the floor.

The court was told that Pryce was jailed for four years in 2001 after he and another man tried to rob the Nationwide Building Society branch in Church Road, Hove.

They fled empty handed after a member of staff activated a security alarm and a steel shutter started to close.

Jemima Ivens, defending, said Pryce, from West Norwood, London, who did not have a weapon, bitterly regretted the offence.

She said: "As far as leaving behind his identity, he could not have done any better."

Judge Paul Tain told him: "You dropped your photographic ID most helpfully for those investigating the offence. But that does not help you at all. It proves you are an incompetent robber."