A thug armed with a knife and crowbar stormed a convenience shop in a small north-east village to steal petty cash and cigarettes.
Arran Baird terrified store worker Moira Finnie when he robbed the Londis store in Boddam in the middle of the afternoon on February 28 this year.
The criminal entered the shop before repeatedly banging the weapons he had taken with him on the counter.
After making off with a stash of cash and cigarettes in the raid emergency services were called to the shop, near Claymore Crescent, at around 2.30pm.
Man, 33, set to appear in court in connection with north-east store robbery
Police quickly cordoned off the area and were seen searching nearby streets and gardens in a bid to trace the culprit.
And eventually Baird was arrested.
Yesterday the 33-year-old appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court and admitted assaulting Mrs Finnie by presenting a knife and crowbar, demanding money and repeatedly striking the weapons off the counter.
Mrs Finnie was uninjured in the incident.
During Baird’s appearance in the dock, defence agent Sheena Mair told Sheriff Donald Ferguson her client wanted to plead guilty to the charge levelled at him.
Sheriff Ferguson said: “I think given the seriousness of the charge it would be appropriate to get reports. I will adjourn for a criminal justice social work report.”
Baird – whose address was given as the Peterhead area – was remanded in custody and is due to appear in court again on June 2.
Last night Sam Coull, a member of the local community association, said he was disgusted by the robbery.
“It’s fair to say austerity doesn’t help at all,” Mr Coull said. “I think a lot of people are just surviving and it’s a question of getting something out of life.
“They have lost respect and their moral compass. Aberdeen has had a few of these incidents but this isn’t typical of village of life.”
He added: “If another robbery happens it will be too soon.”
