A shop assistant has today been jailed for conspiring to rob the chemist where he worked.

Dewan Uddin, 35, of Norfolk Road in Ilford, Jhosaim Chaudhary, 35, of Second Avenue in Manor Park, and Rameez Malik, 22, of Oakdale Road in Forest Gate, threatened staff with an imitation firearm during the heist at Boots in Station Road on December 8. 

Boots worker Uddin was today sentenced to six years and nine months at Snaresbrook Crown Court alongside Chaudhary, who was jailed for nine years and eight months for conspiracy to rob and possessing an imitation firearm. 

Chaudhary and Malik hid in the consultation room until the store closed after Uddin left the back door unlocked at around 3.45pm.

After the chemist closed, the pair threatened female staff members with what appeared to be a gun wrapped inside a black plastic bag. 

The women handed over the safe keys before being locked in the consultation room with the security guard who had also been threatened. 

During the round-up of staff, Uddin was upstairs cashing up and was seen on CCTV to be confronted by Chaudhary and escorted to the safe where he then handed over the week's takings of £14,562. 

Uddin was then locked inside the consultation room before Chaudhary and Malik made off with the cash on foot. 

After reviewing the CCTV, the Met Flying Squad discovered in the hour leading up to the robbery, Uddin had been in and out of the back entrance many times without using the security key pad, showing it was left open for his co-defendants.  

Officers were also able to identify that Chaudhury was a known associate of Uddin and all three suspects had been in contact on the day of the robbery.

All three men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and Malik is due to be sentenced on October 1 at Snaresbrook Crown Court. 

Detective Constable Shona Wilkinson said: "Through our investigations there were clear indications that Chaudhury and Malik had inside knowledge of the premises, and further research was able to connect all three to the robbery. 

"Despite the gun being an imitation firearm, Uddin’s innocent co-workers were subjected to a frightening experience and I hope that these sentences serve as a comfort to them."