Self-proclaimed gangster involved in £20k handgun robberies jailed

Troy Aldous (22) of Newman Avenue, Royston, committed the first robbery on the One Stop shop and Post Office, in Meldreth, on August 9, 2018. He entered the shop in High Street at about 9.40pm with an accomplice, who pointed a handgun at two members of staff and asked them open the safes.

The pair made off with more than £13,000 worth of stolen items and damaged a CCTV data storage unit to cover their tracks.

On January 7 this year, Aldous and an accomplice once again entered the shop and threatened two members of staff with a black handgun. Once again, the pair got away with a number of items, including £5,262 in cash, 1,813 in euros, £930 worth of scratch cards and £69 in coupons.

Then on March 12, Aldous assaulted a man in Queens Road, Royston. The court heard how a verbal altercation broke out between the pair and Aldous pushed the man and kicked him in the face twice before waving a knife at him and walking away.

Finally, on April 1, Aldous and a group of friends went to their former school, Bassingbourn Village College, to hang around the grounds. When staff challenged them and asked them to leave, Aldous became aggressive and pushed a teacher in the chest before opening a bag to reveal a handgun. Aldous then walked away and bragged, “I’m a criminal. I did the Post Office.”

Aldous pleaded guilty to both robberies and three firearms offences and was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison at Cambridge Crown Court today (Friday).

DC Mike Minett, who investigated, said: “By his own admission whilst in custody, Aldous aspired to be the biggest gangster in Meldreth. He now has to face the consequences of his chosen lifestyle.”