A CONVICTED Stourbridge robber who went on a five day crime spree in the town has been locked up for six years.

Michael Webb, 37, tried to rob two William Hill bookmakers’ shops in Wollaston and Amblecote where staff were convinced he was armed with a gun, but he was forced to flee empty handed.

But in between the two crimes he went to Sainsbury’s in Wollaston High Street and got away with £600 in cash where staff once again thought he was carrying a weapon.

Judge Amjad Nawaz told the crack cocaine addict, of Kingsway, Wollaston: “This was a serious catalogue of offending. You have a long history of offending and dishonesty.”

He said Webb, who was given a four year jail term in 2006 for a knifepoint robbery, had clearly been given a chance when he appeared before magistrates just three days before his crime spree.

At Dudley Magistrates Court on August 9, Webb admitted had a burglary charge and he was given a 12 week prison sentence suspended for 12 months.

Three days later on August 12 he went to the Wollaston bookmakers carrying a bag to make staff believe he had a gun. But he left with nothing after a staff member ran to an office and alerted police.

Then, just 50 minutes later, Webb went to the Sainsbury’s store where once again he demanded cash while wearing a distinctive t-shirt over his head to hide his face.

He was given £600 from the till before making his getaway and two days later he went to the Hallmark card shop in Stourbridge where he stole goods worth just under £100.

Joanne Barker, prosecuting, said Webb then went to William Hill’s in Amblecote where clothing covered his string of tattoos and again he demanded money before getting away empty handed.

Miss Barker told Wolverhampton Crown Court that on August 16 he stole 10 packets of razors from the Tesco store in Stourbridge but he was quickly arrested and found to be in possession of a kitchen knife.

When woodland near his home was searched, police found clothing he had worn during the attempted robberies including the t-shirt he had pulled over his face.

Webb admitted two attempted robberies, robbery, two theft charges and being in possession of a knife and the judge told him they were not sophisticated crimes, but his victims had been left psychologically damaged.

Gary Cook, defending, said Webb, who had 33 previous crimes on his record, had lapsed back into drug addiction after managing to stay out of trouble with police for four years.

He added that happily for the victims of his crime spree they were short lived offences, there had been no physical violence, and Webb was full of remorse for his actions and wanted to apologise to his victims.