Man jailed for knife-point robberies
It happened in August 2024
A man, who committed a knife-point robbery and attempted another, in Peterborough city centre, has been jailed.
Hiwa Azari, 20, was with two teenage boys when they blocked the path of a man, who was riding an e-scooter in the Foundry Walk underpass, near the Lido swimming pool, at about 11pm on 5 August 2024.
The group surrounded the man and grabbed the scooter handlebars, before one pulled out a kitchen knife and pointed it at the victim’s stomach, ordering him to walk away. They took the scooter and hid it nearby.
A short while later, police were told about a second robbery, this time at about 12.20am (6 August) where a 20 year-old man had been approached by the trio in Cowgate and told to hand over his phone.
When he refused, one of the group flashed a kitchen knife that was at the front of his trousers, while another tried to remove a gold chain from the victim’s neck.
The victim was put in a headlock and repeatedly punched and kicked but managed to defend himself and flee.
Descriptions of the offenders were passed to CCTV operators, who spotted them walking along Bridge Street towards Cathedral Square.
With the help of Police Dog Ghost, the group was stopped and arrested.
Azari, of Huntly Road, Peterborough, admitted robbery, attempted robbery and being in possession of a knife in a public place.
On Wednesday (1 July) at Cambridge Crown Court he was jailed for 42 months.
The two boys, one from Newcastle and the other from Essex, were handed youth rehabilitation orders in September last year, having admitted the same charges. They were 15 at the time of the offences.
Detective Constable Megan Sims, who investigated, said: “Thankfully no one was seriously injured in these incidents, however, we know knife crime can have devastating effects.
“I would urge anyone who has information about someone who carries a weapon to report it to police.”
Information about those who carry weapons can be reported online via the dedicated weapons information webpage