Security guard arrested over death of robber

A supermarket security guard could be charged with causing the death of an armed robber who was shot in the head with his own gun during a struggle.

The 36-year-old Tesco guard, who is being treated in hospital for a bullet wound to the leg, has been arrested.

The shooting happened on Thursday morning when three men robbed a Securicor van outside a Tesco store in Leytonstone, east London. The security guard and other staff intervened, and during a scuffle a 45-year-old robber was shot in the back of the head. Witnesses said five or six shots were fired.

The robber, who wore a boiler suit and balaclava, died in hospital five hours later.

One witness said the security guard was lying wounded on the ground shouting, "Call an ambulance", while two passers-by tried to revive the robber.

The other two robbers made off in a getaway car with thousands of pounds from the security van. The car was later found abandoned. It is believed the two robbers escaped in a second vehicle.

Detectives questioned the guard, who is not thought to be seriously injured, in hospital yesterday. Neither the guard nor the robber has been identified.

A spokeswoman for Tesco said: "A Tesco security guard is helping the police with their inquiries and we will continue to co-operate fully with the police investigation."

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said a file would be sent to the Crown Prosecution Service after all the evidence had been gathered.

It will be for the CPS to decide whether the guard acted unlawfully and if it is in the public interest to prosecute. A spokeswoman said all the circumstances of the shooting would be considered before a decision was made. The process could take some weeks.