Police are hunting for a man who walked into a shop in Sandown, threatened staff with a firearm and made off with a quantity of cash last night (Wednesday).
As previously reported by Island Echo, officers cordoned off Central Convenience Store on Avenue Road, Sandown late last night after the shop was robbed – the second time this month.
It has now been confirmed that an unknown, masked male entered the store and threatened a shop worker with a firearm – believed to be a pellet gun.
A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary has said:
“We are investigating a robbery which took place at Central Stores in Avenue Road, Sandown, last night (Wednesday 27 November).
“It was reported that a man entered the store at around 8.30pm and told staff to empty the till.
“The man, who had his face covered, was holding an item described as a pellet gun. He then left the store with a quantity of cash.
“Enquiries are ongoing”.
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The shop has re-opened to customers this morning.
Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to call Police on 101, quoting 44190427405. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org/.
What has the IOW come to? 20yrs ago, you could leave doors open, and not worry. Seems that the drug situation is quite dominant!
Mainland issues now affecting us unfortunately
How on earth do you work that out? Mainland issues….. What a typical Isle of Wight comment to make. It is getting bad everywhere these days.
Because its true
And yes it is a “typical isle of wight comment” because I am an islander
And having grown up here it’s not the sort of thing that used to happen
It wasn’t unusual to hear about when i was in the military based in London years ago
So yes i stck by what I said
Who lives in a bubble?
Simple it was this bad on the mainland 20 years ago
Not here
Well said. the island used to be safer i come from london. I moved here. When i was. Thirteen. Im nearly in my fifties i have seen a change but u cannot blame anyone from mainland it is the times. Things change. And to be honest after over thirty years on island i can’t see any difference. So stupid to think all crime. Comes from mainland. It just so small minded. And as say i grew up islanders are no better. It all walks of life.
Is English your first language?
Fair comment things change
Except things dont have to change for the worse to this extent.
Not small minded to think all crime comes from the mainland believe me, plenty of smuggling went on here years ago.
However I have to say guns weren’t pointed at shopkeepers over here.
As for saying after 30 years here you can’t see any difference you must have come from a very quiet part of London!
And would be bound to escalate if there was a fixed link which thank goodness will not happen in the near future!
Its not a ‘mainland’ issue – its a society issue. All the while that users are producing a demand, there will be those ready to supply the drugs – wherever they are.
And just how would ‘island independence’ improve the situation?
How? Simply start where the problem starts….. Schools
They have no discipline anymore
Nobody can say anything without being shouted down by some nappy wearing minority do gooder
Nobody is afraid of the punishments anymore because there isn’t any
Good enough start for you
No, not good enough IIN. The ‘problem with schools’ (by which I think you mean ‘education’) is not an island problem – its a global societal problem. So your reasoning is faulty, and I ask you again – just how would ‘island independence’ improve the situation.
No not education but the courtesy we used to have in schools here well after it vanished from the mainland.
Yes you’re correct social problems are a nationwide issue however we here used to look at that as a mainland issue.
So I’ll answer your question
I’m an advocate of independence for the island
Set our own rules and standards
Take a look at the channel Islands, low crime good standards limited numbers of people moving there.
Tell me you wouldn’t wish the wight was like that? We’ll continue to decline unless something radical happens
I’d certainly wish the Wight (indeed everywhere) could be like that. But you should note a couple of important differences in your evaluation – the Channel Islands tax havens are absolutely awash with money, the highest level of personal income tax being 20% (0% in Sark!), and currently they are suffering at least the same amount of illegal drug importation as the rest of the UK. The ‘good standards’ that you mention, which indeed they did enjoy, are becoming something of a tourist guide myth, not ulike the IoW.
I too would like to live in an environment where courtesy, trust and respect are the order of the day, and if independence for the Island could bring back those social standards of yesteryear, I’d be delighted to support it. But practically, where is the money, the manpower, and the will?
I’m not holding my breath on that one. Merry Christmas!
I’d certainly wish the Wight could be like that. But note that the Channel Islands are currently suffering the very same illegal drug problems and decline in standards as the IoW.
I too would like to live in an environment where courtesy, trust and respect are the order of the day, and if independence for the Island could bring back those social standards of yesteryear, I’d be delighted to support it. But practically, where is the money, the manpower, and the will?
That I would agree with.
Its your immigrants bringing in the drugs!!!
We complained to the police several times. Its the druggies, alkies, and benefit cheats. But nothing is ever done. CCTV is your answer here, until you put these in place, you will never catch them. Also, there is DNA testing, its the 21st century soon, use it.
@anony Shame the island is 20 years behind, we’re still in the 20th century, sorry bud.
What a load of bollox. Always been crimes like this on the island. Just reported better.
You’re entitled to your opinion as I am
However I’d ask you if you can remember the days when a shed broken into was county press front page news
A major crime on the island was a shocking rarity not a regular event
Rubbish you couldn’t leave your doors open the IOW has always been bad for burglaries & on occasions serious crime s dating back to at least the late 80’s from my personal experience.
Not rubbish at all
Plus we’re discussing a weapons related incident of which I can remember two during the 80s
And yes you could leave your door open without being robbed probably up till I left for the military in 88
In the mid 1980’s cities like New York were experiencing a murder every six minutes. Back on the island, people were leaving keys with neighbours, walking home safely at night without fear of being mugged, because it just didn’t happen. Burglary was the most common crime, although the police usually knew who it was, as each town had enough coppers. They knew the local crims and their associates – never had to chase down people, just spoke to a few individuals and the info usually cropped up.
Any one caught being a persistent offender on the island had a banning order imposed on them – which meant they were not permitted back on the island for a fixed period. I recall at least one person I knew having that imposed on them.
Back in those days, adults/parents would not think twice about slapping some god awful, unruly kid – got the message through
ADHD didn’t exist – a slap across the legs or across the chops, always ensured a child paid attention and sat quietly.
Now we have to many, hand wringing, lefty, do gooders that think the whole world is a safe space bubble and that everyone is nice – no they are not, children need discipline – it teaches them the boundaries and adults need telling to F.off every now and then, when they do not get the hint.
People liked the quiet way of life on the island and people who moved here, wanted to keep it that way, as that was their reason for moving here. Now we have a bunch of idiots that want the island to be connected to hampshire and become just another clone of another UK city with all the problems associated with it.
No, this is an island and if it was independent and the cash was available, we could have full passport control at all ferry terminals, visas, large scale police/customs patrols on the island and around the coast. Anyone not resident and not holding a visa is immediately put on the ferry and sent back to the mainland – no questions asked. Anyone caught committing crimes is banned from the island, all assets seized and placed on a one way ticket to the mainland.
Search every vehicle arriving on the island for drugs, immigrants and any other contraband. Provide temporary accommodation to homeless and state – you accept the help of the island to get you into proper accommodation and find work to support yourself – or you are removed from the island permanently, especially if they were not born on the island and are not considered indigenous islanders.
Yes, you could leave your doors open on the Island years ago, I was born here in 1964, I remember my mother in law leaving the back door open, while she went to the shop, I used to go in and wait for her. It’s only in the last 5/10 years that crimes like this have be come more regular.
The issue with most of these shops is that there is usually only one staff member working the late shift! Profits before safety has gone way too far now, with perhaps a couple of teenagers working in the larger stores and usually only one person in the smaller ones so easy targets for the scum who cant get a job that pays for their habits so choose to terrorise and traumatise innocent workers just trying to earn minimum wage! The answers aren’t easy,,, there is no simple fix and no amount of soft punishment or ‘treatment options’ can break the cycle so perhaps the courts should up the ante a little bit in the hope that there is an actual deterrant.. but i fear the costs would be prohibitive.
Agree until punishments actually fit the crimes it will never stop
Hope they catch them soon what is happening to Sandown.
Run down underfunded ignored like the rest of the island
Typical London government
Get real there’s one government unfortunately we can’t change it. Unless you want to separate and become your own country. Stop blaming london for everones fault. Scotland, wales , are no better and also get a good helpout from “London”. You are so small minded. Stop blaming london government or do something about it.
I think Sandown, has a growing drug problem, and the area seems to be going downhill from my memories of it years ago. Sad really.
Just another example of how the island has changed for the worse
Lack of investment lack of jobs
Local government should look at how Cornwall has regenerated itself instead of kowtowing to Westminster
Totally agree, The Scots and the Welsh are talking independence but as we’re all disenfranchised I think we should all be independent from London…..transport for London, this and that for London, the rest of us has ceased to exist as far as Westminster is concerned except of course the filthy rich coming Out into the country to buy their many holiday homes. To us, London is now a different country.
“Lack of investment lack of jobs” Because when there has been the chance of companies investing in the island the NIMBY’s start moaning and shut it down.
NIMBYS? Like that
Who like Red funnel putting off centerparks investment you mean ot just the general whining moaners
You’re correct either way though
The island needs to accept changes investing brings or it will continue to decline
Close down the shop!!! turn it into residential housing. Its a horrible shop anyway.
Can’t you put stills up of his face/mask maybe someone knows him?
The biggest deterrent was the fear of being nicked and banged up straight away.
That no longer exists on the island.
Monkey ‘see’ Monkey do. And watching the news we see plenty of ‘doing’ in inner cities and pathetic sentences, so the low life here merely copy.
We have imported too many low lives, too late now. UK ruined forever. God help YOUR children
Totally disagree that its a mainland issue. How small minded you seem. Everywhere is getting bad. It isn’t just on the Island.
Just look at the scum families on the Island,
The problem with the island is this!!! There simply isn’t enough police on the island to govern it. So your local scum as well as the people from the mainland know this.
So see the island as an easy target, it’s easy to go rob somewhere jump on the hover or jets and go back. The drug problem you have is easy fixed, if you know of people selling or dealing tellThe police If you get your drug problem sorted out the crime will decrease the whole island has a major drug problem, it’s not going to go away neither will the crime until your issues are addressed
Just as a thought, maybe to ease debate, I wonder if the police can confirm if there is any correlation between knife/gun/drug related crimes and where the offenders were born or grew up? Surely they would have these statistics?
Some interesting reading here
Main point is some poor unfortunate had a firearm shoved in their direction! Hope you recover from the shock soon
Yes society is broken
Independence? Its not 1975 anymore & it’d never work
Mainland issues? Try worldwide issues more like
People from the mainland causing crime? Read some local history please