A man who robbed PC World with an imitation Uzi sub-machine gun has claimed the raid was an inside job.

Detectives from the Flying Squad have been asked to investigate whether the claim was credible, after it emerged at Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday, April 25.

Michael Gerrard Ward, 20, admitted robbing £37,590 in cash from the Kingston store on January 16 this year.

Staff at the Fife Road store were threatened at gunpoint at about 8.20am and forced to hand over cash to at least one man who drove off in a car.

Ward was arrested four days later in north Wales apparently trying to flee the country.

His lawyer handed a basis of plea to Judge Fergus Mitchell setting out what he said was the limit of his involvement which suggested he was not the sole robber.

Judge Mitchell said: “There may well have been other people involved. The suggestion here is it was an inside job. It may well have been and if they are prosecuted, so be it.”

But prosecutor Emily Dummett said: “Our approach on the basis of plea is a healthy dose of scepticism.

“Given the detail, we will make inquiries to if there’s any evidence at all to support the defendant’s case.”

Only a small amount of money was recovered, the court was told.

Judge Mitchell said: “I don’t know if any information has been given about where the money has gone.

“He must have some idea.”

A witness at the time of the robbery told the Surrey Comet how he saw a passerby try to stop a white man in a balaclava from leaving the store before letting him pass.

Manni Roscher, manager of Etnies, said he only saw one robber escape in a silver Opal Astra, while parking attendants noted down the number plate.

Ward did not speak throughout the hearing, but was supported from the public gallery by people who said they were friends.

He will be sentenced on June 6 after his dangerousness has been assessed by probation services.