Source: Yahoo UK
A man has told a court how he took a building society hostage and threatened staff with a can of tuna fish that he pretended was a bomb.
During the robbery on 7 December 2010, Sean Collins from West Dunbartonshire, slammed an empty tin of tuna filled with plasticine and wires down onto the counter at a Nationwide branch and demanded money, the High Court in Glasgow heard.
Mr. Collins admitted to a charge of assault and robbery at the Great Western Road bank saying that he didn't have the money to pay a £2,000 court fine over a previous assault conviction and could not pay his mortgage.
He told the court how he had lost his job as a result of the conviction and had no means of coming up with the money.
Cashier Charlene McFarlane said that Collins swore at her and threatened to detonate the fake explosive device if she didn't hand over the money.
He then pulled out a 12-inch knife that was wrapped in a towel and left the scene with £1,400.
Strathclyde Police told Yahoo! News today that the female cashier was left extremely traumatized as a result of the robbery.
The 28-year-old man, who had hidden his face with a bright pink scarf and swimming goggles, was later caught on a nearby supermarket’s CCTV tape walking into a toilet and changing his clothes.
Police allegedly received an anonymous tip-off that Collins was the robber and he eventually handed himself in. The four-figure sum was never recovered.
Trial judge Lord Brodie remanded Mr. Collins in custody until his sentencing next month.