Robber in bookies raid may have had fake gun

Alan Levers, 50, was also believed to be wearing a gas mask when he stormed into the Ladbrokes branch on Crownhill Road in Plymouth, Devon, shortly before 7pm on Friday.

Customers disarmed the man and held him on the floor while others raised the alarm, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Police arrested Levers, who was already unconscious, upon arrival, but he was declared dead at the scene around 20 minutes later by paramedics.

Plymouth police commander Chief Superintendent Andy Bickley praised the actions of the “brave” members of the public, who would not have known if the gun was a fake.

He said the four men who were in the shop at the time of the attempted robbery have been helping police with their inquiries, and no arrests have been made.

“I can confirm that no one has been arrested in connection with this death, nor has anyone been questioned under caution as a suspect at this time,” he said.

“I can share with you that the firearm has been initially examined by a police firearms officer and it appears to be an imitation pistol, though this still needs to be verified.

“I would like to add, however, that there would have been no way of knowing this at the time of the incident. The actions taken by members of the public in the shop were brave and showed a disregard for their own safety.”

A formal identification of Mr Levers, from the Honicknowle area of the city, has not yet been completed, he added.

The witnesses who were inside the betting shop at the time of the incident and the victim’s family are being supported by the police.

The incident has been voluntarily referred to the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, although Devon and Cornwall Police are leading the investigation.

David Walker, 55, from West Park, Plymouth, said he had walked into the shop just five minutes after the incident happened.

“I went in about 6.55pm, to put a bet on the football,” he said. “When I went in there, they were on the floor, they were scuffling on the floor. I just thought it was just a fight or something.

“The bloke behind the counter told me they weren’t taking any bets and I had to leave.

“I didn’t see their faces, as they were holding the guy down at the back of the shop. I couldn’t see any mask and there wasn’t any physical movement, they were just holding him.”

Ivor Green, 67, from West Park, added that he was not surprised that the customers had leapt to the defence of the staff.

“They would do that in a shop like this, it is our betting shop,” he said. The staff become your friends, it’s a little family.”