London:
Two Asian teenagers including an Indian-origin boy have been sentenced to jail for attempting to rob a jewellery store in UK last year.
"Two teenage boys who were chased and detained by members of the public after attempting to rob a jewellers in Edgware were jailed on Friday 1 February at Wood Green Crown Court," the Metropolitan police said today.
Momim Hassan, 17, of Devonshire Road, NW7 and Indian-origin Tajwar Shah, 16, of St Edmunds Drive, Stanmore can now be named after the judge lifted restrictions preventing them from being identified.
Hassan was jailed for four years and Shah to three-and-a-half years after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.
Hassan also pleaded guilty to possession of a section 5 firearm, namely a stun gun.
At approximately 11:20hrs on 16 November 2012 two youths attempted to rob Vinsons Jewellers in Station Road, Edgware.
The teenagers, one armed with a hammer and one armed with a blank firing gun, approached the front of the shop and smashed a window with a hammer before attempted to steal goods.
They were challenged by a female staff member and a struggle ensued.
During the struggle Shah discharged the firearm in the air.
Passers-by and other shop workers were alerted to the struggle and pursued them down Station Road.
During this chase, Shah again fired the gun, this time in the direction of his pursuers.
Despite obvious concerns for their safety and not knowing that the weapon being discharged was a blank firing gun, they continued to follow the suspects and spotted them in the car park of a nearby block of flats attempting to change clothes.
The suspects fled back down Station Road before being detained by members of the public.
Officers arrived on scene and arrested the pair.
A search of scene revealed a bag which contained a stun gun and a key to a car which was parked nearby.
The car, a blue Mercedes Coupe, was found to have false number plates attached and had been taken from a relative of Shah without their knowledge.
Detective Constable Tim Fines, from the Flying Squad based at Finchley, said: "The judge has commended the bravery of those members of the public who pursued and detained these two males - I would like to reiterate this praise.
"Thanks to their efforts, and the efforts of officers who attended the scene, two dangerous males are behind bars."