REDBRIDGE: Former detective held over armed robbery
10:26am Tuesday 16th September 2008
A FORMER Scotland Yard detective has been arrested on suspicion of carrying out an armed robbery in Redbridge.
Gary Griffiths, 38, was arrested yesterday morning following a raid on Ladbrokes betting shop in Barkingside last Tuesday.
During the robbery, a female cashier was threatened by a man with a gun and forced to hand over £300.
At the same time, an accomplice seized around £100 from a male customer in his 50s after holding a machete to his throat.
Griffiths, who is married with two young children, only retired from the police force last month.
He worked for Scotland Yard's elite kidnap squad as well as Romford's C.I.D unit.
It is believed police issued a warrant for his arrest after one of his former colleagues examined CCTV footage of the incident.
He was then arrested by armed officers in Dagenham following a complex surveillance operation.
A Met Police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm a 38-year-old man has been arrested in Dagenham in connection with an armed robbery at a Ladbrokes bookmakers".