A Birmingham shop worker bravely faced one of the robbers who targeted her store seven years ago. The robber, Simon Conrad, is now jailed.
A brave shop worker faced a gunman. This robbery changed her life. It happened seven years ago, when Simon Conrad was one of two robbers.
They held up Mals News on July 10, 2018. The robbery occurred before 10 a.m. Ranveer Sandhu ran the shop with her husband. She was hit on the head, and a customer was also hurt as they thought the robbers had real guns.
Conrad was found guilty after a retrial. He was charged with robbery and possessing an imitation firearm. He got seven years in jail, and the sentencing happened on February 25.
Mrs. Sandhu said her life changed greatly, a statement she made from the witness box. She was not easily scared before, but after the robbery, she lost confidence and did not feel safe at work. The shop had been robbed before.
The attack felt very personal to her. Even though it was a robbery, she did not feel safe, and past robberies heightened her sense of vulnerability. She felt like she was being targeted.
She enjoyed her job before the robbery, but the incident made her scared. It made her question her worth, wondering if they knew she was decent. She was just a woman doing her job.
Mrs. Sandhu worked there for over 20 years. She had to leave after the robbery and misses her customers, who became good friends.
Police sought information on the suspects captured by CCTV at Mals News. One suspect was acquitted after hung juries, and the prosecution did not push for a third trial.
Conrad had prior convictions, including harassment; he also violated sex offender rules.
His lawyer said he used less violence and argued Conrad played a lesser role. He seemed reluctant during the crime.
Conrad must serve most of his sentence. He will be eligible for release after that.
The judge said there was some planning but doubted Conrad considered the impact. The judge noted shops help communities; they work hard and connect people.
Mrs. Sandhu can no longer work there after 20 years at the shop. This impacts her customers too, and the judge thanked the witnesses. Conrad mouthed “I’m sorry” to Mrs. Sandhu.