Heroin addict grabbed cash register from Chichester takeaway and said he would stab staff

The till was stolen from Curry House in Chichester. Picture: Google Streetview

A builder addicted to heroin snatched a cash register from a Chichester takeaway and threatened to stab people in his bid to escape.

Staff at Curry House in St Pancras were in the kitchen when they heard a loud bang and saw Shaun Harding running off with the till on February 19 this year.

They gave chase and caught up with the 51-year-old but he became aggressive and punched one of them.

Harding, a builder, of no fixed address, appeared at Worthing Magistrates’ Court today after pleading guilty to: burglary, two counts of assault by beating, possession of crack cocaine, possession of cocaine and theft from a shop.

Harding was released on bail from Crawley Magistrates' Court, only to swiftly reoffend

Prosecutor Gaynor Byng told the court that when staff caught up with him and grabbed him, Harding dropped the till and said ‘I have got a knife and I will stab you’.

She continued: “He then punched one man hard to the right eye socket causing immediate pain and then bruising.

“Another man was pulled into the wall of the building, causing bruising to his fingers.”

Officers arrived at the scene and arrested Harding, who gave a no comment interview.

Caught with drugs twice in Bognor

The other matters he was sentenced for – the drugs possession and the theft from a shop – relate to separate instances.