A robber from Sydenham has been jailed for more than eight years after attacking staff at a pawnbrokers armed with an imitation gun.

Madelo Payi, 23, and Daniel Campbell, 22, stole £15,000 during the robbery in Norbury in March this year.

The pair were spotted acting suspiciously by an off-duty police officer in Craignish Avenue, near the junction with London Road, at around 9am on March 7.

The men were wearing gloves with their hoods up and the officer saw them appear to double back on themselves before getting into a Vauxhall Astra.

At around 9.20am a male member of staff arrived at Cash Exchange in London Road to open up for the day, while his female colleague was already there waiting for him to arrive.

As he went in he felt someone barge against him the door, before there was a struggle and Payi, of Byron Close, Sydenham, managed to get past him.

Payi was joined by Campbell, from Peckham, and pointed what appeared to be a gun inside a sock at the victim and told him to open the safe.

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JAILED: Daniel Campbell.

The victim handed over around £15,000 in cash and foreign currency plus around six trays of jewellery.

The pair also stole the workers' own mobile phones and threatened to shoot them.

Payi moved both members of staff to the toilet at the back of the shop and told them to wait before the suspects made their escape.

With police units already in the area, officers were inspecting the Astra when they spotted Payi and Campbell who, upon seeing them, began to run.

One officer tackled Campbell while two more constables chased Payi, who dropped money as he fled.

Payi ran into some bushes by Norbury Hill Park where he was caught and arrested, while the imitation firearm, still in the sock, was recovered from the bushes.

Detective Constable Lee Warrington, from the Flying Squad, said: "This incident was clearly terrifying for the staff at the pawnbrokers who had no idea the gun being pointed at them was imitation and in fact couldn't be fired.

"I would also like to pay tribute to the excellent detection work carried out by the off-duty officer who realised something was amiss that day and the police constables who bravely tackled the robbers and were successful in detaining them."

Payi was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years after pleading guilty at the Old Bailey to robbery plus possession of an imitation firearm with intent.

Campbell also admitted robbery plus a separate count of robbing a staff member of their mobile phone.

He was sentenced to six years.