Video store thieves given hefty jail sentences

Feb 15 2010 By Jack Abell

THREE men who carried out armed robberies at Blockbuster video stores in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire have been jailed for a total of 18 years and nine months.

Paul Barzey, 23, Troy Tutin, 21, and Alexander Davies, 20, all of Slough were sentenced at Reading Crown Court last week.

Tutin and Davies were both sentenced to six years after pleading guilty to three counts of robbery and three counts of being in possession of an imitation firearm.

Davies was also sentenced for being in possession of Class B drugs.

Barzey was sentenced to six years and nine months after he pleaded guilt to two counts of robbery and tow counts of being in possession of an imitation firearm.

He also pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of staff during one of the incidents, and was also sentenced in connection with a seperate offence of burglary.

At around 9.55pm on Sunday, March 15, last year, three men got out of a brown Rover 620 saloon and walked towards the Blockbuster store in Hazlemere.

One man opened the door to the shop while a member of staff was in the process of locking up for the day.

The man, who had a gun in his hand, told the member of staff to get on the floor, which they did.

All three men then began shouting, demanding money and when the member of staff explained that he couldn't give them any, he was kicked in the face by one of the men who wore grey clothing.

This man was later identified as Barzey, who further assaulted the victime with a bar.

He was also struck on the back of his head with the gun.

Within minutes of the incident, armed police attended the incident as part of an ongoing investigation following two similar crimes in Berks.

Barzey and Davies were detained in the store but Tutin managed to flee the scene, but was later arrested.

Detective Inspector Steve Armstead, who led the investigation, said: "These were very serious offences with a number of aggravating features. They involved the use of firearms, accompanied by acts of violence and substantial amounts of money were taken.

"The Blockbuster staff involved, some of whom are young students, suffered an extremely frightening experience.

"This is now the conclusion of a protracted and complicated enquiry which required the deployment of some of the most advanced scientific methods.

"We hope it provides some closure to the Blcokbustr employees who acted to bravely in what must have been terrifying circumstances."