Robert Douglas Lovell
A man who robbed a woman on her way to the bingo was caught after detectives recognised his distinctive walk.
Robert Lovell threatened the 72-year-old woman and stole her purse in a car park off Cowbridge Road East in Canton at around 6pm on July, 27 2013.
From CCTV footage officers identified that the suspect walked with a limp.
When Pc Mike Faulkner returned to the car par that evening to conduct further enquiries he noticed a man walking nearby with the same distinctive walk.
He was also wearing clothing matching the description given by the victim.
Lovell from Riverside, Cardiff, was arrested at 7.45pm that day, charged, remanded and later found guilty by a jury at Cardiff Crown Court.
On Wednesday, January 22 he was sentenced to six years for the robbery and two years for possessing an offensive weapon, to run concurrent.
Detective Inspector Simon Maal, from Cardiff West CID, said:
“This was a cowardly and nasty incident. An immediate response ensured the individual responsible was quickly arrested and taken off the streets.
“Home Office figures released this week show that robbery in Cardiff has reduced by 26.1 per cent. Preventing and detecting robbery is a priority for South Wales Police.
“We hope Lovell’s significant prison sentence will give the victim peace of mind.”
