Terrifying Armed Robbery at Holbeach Jewellery Store: Shopkeeper Tied Up and Threatened with Axe

HOLBEACH, Lincolnshire — In a terrifying daytime heist that has shocked the local community, two armed men raided PG Jewellery and Collectables on High Street, Holbeach, brandishing an axe and threatening to kill a shop assistant before fleeing with more than £50,000 worth of stock.

The Armed Robbery

The incident occurred on the afternoon of Friday, May 30, 2025. Two masked men, later identified as Ints Dombrovskis, 45, and Hugo Ignats, 42, entered the retail premises. Wielding a long-handled axe, they threatened the lone shop assistant, a young woman in her twenties, claiming they had a firearm concealed within a bag aimed directly at her.

CCTV footage from inside the shop captured the horrifying moment the criminals ordered the terrified worker to unlock the glass display cabinets. Ignats was heard shouting, "Don't move or I will kill you," while brandishing the axe. The suspects then proceeded to systematically clear the cabinets, snatching high-value watches, rings, and necklaces, stuffing them into black bags and their pockets. The raiders also stole a mobile phone, a bank card, and £15 in cash from the victim. The entire robbery lasted nine minutes.

Getaway and Burning Vehicle

After looting the store, the pair fled in a silver Vauxhall Astra. Just four minutes away, the suspects abandoned and set fire to the Astra in an attempt to destroy any forensic evidence. The local fire service was dispatched to the car fire, and their prompt report to the police became a crucial link in tracking the offenders' movements.

A Swift Response

Detective Constable Katie Munroe, who led the investigation, praised the victim's extraordinary courage: "I cannot begin to comprehend how terrified our victim was; she showed huge courage on that day. I really wish her well for the future as she comes to terms with what happened."