Drunken robbers wearing masks made from leggings subjected two female shop workers to a terrifying ordeal.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard Dale Barker and Charles Barr robbed the shop in St Mary’s to get more alcohol after an all-night drinking session.
The raid prompted staff to set off a panic alarm while an unknown man who stumbled upon the crime in progress even tried to wrestle the thieves before they fled into a nearby flat.
The pair made off with five packets of cigarettes, two bottles of vodka, two bottles of wine and a bottle of cider.
Yesterday Barker, 19, of Happyhillock Road, and Barr, 20, of Balbeggie Street, pled guilty to robbing the Co-op in St Boswell Terrace on May 11.
The court heard they entered the store wearing homemade balaclavas and hooded tops.
Depute fiscal Laura Bruce said Barr entered first, wearing a dark blue hooded top with the hood up and a dark balaclava over his face.
He was followed by Barker, who also had a balaclava, a green hooded top pulled over his head and a pair of dirty cream coloured female pyjama bottoms.
Barker told the shop assistant to get out the way before they started grabbing cigarettes and alcohol.
Mrs Bruce said: “Accused barker vaulted over the counter with the tills grabbing packets of JPS cigarettes, half a bottle of vodka and a full size bottle of vodka.”
Meanwhile Barr made his way to the alcohol aisle and took a bottle of cider from the fridge and two bottles of wine. DrunkThe shop assistant alerted her manager who told her to activate the panic alarm.
The manager then headed to the shop entrance and turned to face Barr who told her ‘get out of the way I’ve got a knife’.
A male customer entered, and realising what was happening, grabbed Barr and struggled with him before the manager asked him to let him go.
Outside Barr was seen running off along St Boswell Terrace and entering a block of flats however, when Barker tried to run off he was grabbed by the unknown customer and they both fell to the ground.
Barker hit his elbow in the fall and the bottle of vodka he was holding smashed on the ground.
At this point Barr returned to the shop and staff asked the customer to let Barker go, and both thieves entered a nearby block of flats.
Police notified by the alarm activation were quickly on the scene and forced the door to a flat where they found both accused, along with another man and a woman.
Inside the flat police also found the two stolen bottles of wine, the bottle of cider and remnants of a pair of leggings that had been used to make the balaclavas.
The woman told police they had been drinking all night and after discussion about robbing the store she made the balaclavas at the request of Barr.
The court heard Barr had 23 previous convictions for offences including assaulting police officers and threatening and abusive behaviour.
Barker, who is currently serving a prison sentence, had six previous convictions for vandalism, breach of the peace and careless driving.
Sheriff Eric Brown said given the nature of the offence he was not prepared to grant either Barker or Barr bail and both we remanded in custody. They will be sentenced on September 4.