Armed Robber caught and jailed with DNA from Glove

Armed robber Asif Jhangeer, aged 39, of Walsall, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Wednesday, April 10, 2019.

He was armed with a knife when he tried to rob a shop on November 21, 2018.

Jhangeer was caught after one of his gloves was taken off him by a brave member of the public.

He jumped over a counter at Wolverhampton Road Post Office in Walsall and threatened a member of staff with a knife.

Jhangeer, who had his face covered with a balaclava, loaded up hundreds of pounds worth of cigarettes into a bag.

As the armed robber attempted to leave the shop, he was tackled by a woman who had entered the store after hearing the commotion.

Jhangeer had left the knife on the counter when he was taken down. As he and the woman scuffled, she was able to take off a glove he was wearing.

The suspect fled the scene empty-handed following the failed raid, but officers from the West Midlands Police were able to link him to the crime.

The DNA on both the glove and the knife matched Jhangeer’s after they were tested.

Detective Constable Andy Atkinson from the CID department said:

“This was a terrifying experience for the shop worker who was threatened with the knife.”

Asif Jhangeer pleaded guilty to the armed robbery. He was jailed for three years and four months.

Following the sentencing, DC Atkinson added:

“But thanks to the brave actions of the member of the public who confronted Jhangeer we were able to secure vital DNA evidence.”

“This left Jhangeer with little choice but to plead guilty and put him behind bars.”

This is not the first conviction that Jhangeer has received. In 2011, he was jailed for three years for supplying drugs.

He and two other men operated their drug enterprise from a betting shop in Bradford Street, Walsall.

Their operation was part of a string of drugs networks which was investigated by undercover officers.

Jhangeer, then 31, and the other two men were caught when they dealt crack cocaine and heroin to officers.

It was revealed that they sold the drugs by dropping the wraps onto the window ledge of the bookmakers.

During his trial, Mr Timothy Jacques explained that Jhangeer had committed the crime to fund an alcohol addiction.

He was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court after admitting five counts of supplying crack cocaine and one count of supplying heroin.