AN armed robber was identified by his underwear by police when they went around to quiz his partner-in-crime, Burnley Crown Court heard.
Jordan Haworth, 21, was arrested by police for a knifepoint raid after officers recognised a band in his underpants from CCTV footage of the raid on the Shell garage in Rawtenstall’s Burnley Road.
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Haworth was also found with a makeshift mask, fashioned from a pair of tights, in his pocket when he turned up at the home of Lewis Banham.
Haworth and Banham, also 21, are now starting four-year prison terms after they fled with up to £100 from the Holmefield garage on December 22 last year.
At an earlier hearing, guilty pleas were entered by both Haworth, of Shap Close, Baxenden, and Banham, of Queen Street, Rawtenstall, to offences of robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.
Prosecutor Lisa Worsley said garage assistant Kane Finley saw two men walking across the forecourt and break into a run when they reached the automatic doors. The robbers each pulled down a mask over their face.
Banham, armed with a knife, jumped over the counter and demanded money. Haworth made similar demands and Mr Finlay recalls being scared of what was going to happen to him, the court was told.
Because the till had recently been emptied, prosecutors said, the pair only managed to obtain between £60 and £100. An attempt was made to open a bank money container but the pair fled with the cash from the till.
Miss Worsley said a security tag belonging to Banham was found near the scene by police and he was visited by officers the next day. CCTV footage from the garage was also viewed.
Banham was found to be wearing the same clothes as during the robbery — and when Haworth turned up at the flat later, he was wearing underwear which could be identified from the security-camera footage.
Footprints from trainers belonging to the pair were also recovered from the scene, the court heard.
Kristian Cavanagh, for Banham, said the raid was unsophisticated as the defendants had only taken one pair of gloves between them.
John Edwards, for Haworth, said his client had been ordered to carry out the robbery to pay money he owed to others. Haworth is determined to steer clear of trouble when he is released from custody.
Banham and Haworth carried out the robbery within days of being released from prison for other offences.
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