A knife-wielding robber who carried out a spree of raids against staff at corner shops in Swansea has been jailed for nine years after a shop worker's observation of a distinctive tattoo helped police track him down.
Shane Burne, 34, of Cwm Clyd, Waunarlwydd, targeted five convenience stores in just over three weeks, escaping with hundreds of pounds in cash as well as alcohol and tobacco. Swansea Crown Court heard he has an "extensive criminal history" in his native Ireland, where he is currently wanted on a warrant.
Robberies across Swansea
The first robbery happened at around 10pm on August 7 when Burne entered the family-run San and Jas Store in Manselton with his face covered by his jacket hood. He produced a Stanley-type knife and brandished it at the lone shopworker, who retreated through a door behind the counter and had to hold it shut as Burne tried to get at him. Burne fled with bottles of rum and brandy.
Shortly after, he attended the Family Shopper store in Brynhyfryd, again with his face covered. He produced a large knife and shouted "Give me the money" repeatedly. The victim fled and called his manager and police. Burne stole tobacco and escaped on a bicycle.
The third raid occurred on August 24 when Burne, wearing a hooded hi-vis work top and a surgical mask, entered Matha Stores in Manselton. He picked a drink from the fridge and approached the counter, but instead of paying produced a small silver knife and demanded money. The shopkeeper picked up a metal rod and shouted at him to get out, and Burne fled empty handed.
The vital clue
Four days later, Burne robbed the Jaks store in Waunarlwydd. After selecting a can of Red Bull, he shouted "give the money" and pulled out a dark-handled knife with a blade around eight inches long. When the shopworker said he would call police, Burne climbed over the counter and forced the complainant to open the till, making off with between £600 and £650 in cash.
The final raid was on August 30 at the Premier S&L Stores on Llangyfelach Road, where Burne was armed with a large sickle. He rushed behind the counter and demanded money from the till, holding the weapon close to an employee. Staff noticed his eyes were bloodshot and it appeared "he had taken something". He escaped with tobacco and £365 in cash.
The complainant in one case gave police a vital piece of information: the robber had a distinctive "dad" tattoo on his right wrist and forearm. Detectives used a police database of known offenders with similar tattoos, and images were compared to a dad tattoo seen on Burne's wrist during a recent police interview in connection with unrelated matters. The officer in that case identified the defendant.
Arrest and sentencing
Forensic evidence also linked Burne to a surgical face mask recovered from bramble bushes down a quiet lane, along with a black hooded jumper, a sickle, and a can of Red Bull. On September 1, police went to a property in Swansea where Burne was believed to be. He initially refused to open the door, and "a period of negotiation" ensued until he was detained by armed officers. He answered "no comment" to all questions in his subsequent interview.
Burne had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery. The court heard he has 45 previous convictions for 93 offences, with the vast majority in Ireland. In May 2014 he was convicted of robbery and theft and sentenced to 22 months in prison. He is currently wanted in Ireland with an outstanding warrant for offending committed in 2022.
John Allchurch, for Burne, said his client had turned to cocaine after struggling to cope following a separation from his partner and children, and that the robberies were committed to fund that habit. Burne expressed remorse for the impact on his victims and had been using his time on remand constructively, doing a painting and decorating course and learning to read and write.
Judge Geraint Walters said Burne had gone around "terrifying shopworkers" during the spree, targeting small corner shops where staff often work alone, and said such businesses provide an important service to the community and their staff need to be protected by the courts. With a one-quarter discount for his guilty pleas, Burne was sentenced to nine years in prison. The judge praised the "proper detective skills" of the officers who helped bring the defendant to book, saying without it he had no doubt Burne would have continued the spree.
