WHEN 21-year-old Scott Brown, of New Street, Exmouth, on January 26, 2010, calmly walked into Tesco Express, in Rolle Street, pointing a gun and demanding money, the two minutes he spent in-store set off a chain of events which today the law will punish him for

WHEN 21-year-old Scott Brown, of New Street, Exmouth, on January 26, 2010, calmly walked into Tesco Express, in Rolle Street, pointing a gun and demanding money, the two minutes he spent in-store set off a chain of events which today the law will punish him for.

This week, officers at Exmouth CID spoke exclusively to the Journal, giving a step-by-step insight into how they caught their man.

DRESSED in distinctive jogging bottoms and a grey, hooded top with a logo plastered across the front - his face covered by a home-made balaclava - Brown showed no fear as he walked up to the unsuspecting cashier and pointed the weapon in her face.

Ordering her to empty the tills of money into his plastic bag, police say he calmly pointed his gun at the shop manager and a member of the public, ordering them to get onto the floor - threatening to shoot if they did not comply.

According to police, Brown showed no mercy as he watched the bewildered cashier move swiftly from till to till, opening each cash drawer to scoop out coins and notes to fill his bag.

Acting as though she was on autopilot, the only time she faltered was when the plastic bag broke under the weight of the �600 takings - sending shoals of coins spilling onto the floor.

Desperate for the ordeal to be over - fearing Brown would think she had deliberately held him up and not knowing if he would shoot her for the mistake - she quickly transferred the cash into a new bag, handing it to Brown who made his escape.

When the shop doors slid open automatically, Brown disappeared into the night.

Back at Tesco Express, the full reality of what just happened kicked in as the cashier collapsed to the floor, her face in her hands as she started to cry.

Police CCTV footage shows how she scrambles to her feet - only to instantly drop like a stone back to the floor, sobbing.

Detective Sergeant Jo Hall, of Exmouth CID, said: "We had people coming forward, giving evidence. It was really scary for them to have witnessed what happened.

"Most of the officers, when they saw the CCTV footage, were taken aback by it."

This CCTV footage showing the raid was initially the only piece of evidence the police had to go on when Brown held up the store, escaping with the cash.