Armed robbers jailed for Brighton massage parlour raid
Two armed robbers who threatened staff at a Brighton massage parlour with knives and an imitation gun have each been jailed for at least four years.
Milan Mraz, 31, and Akintunde Drummond-Brown, 21, took the safe and hundreds of pounds from staff at Brighton Belles in Montpelier Road, Sussex Police said.
They were given indeterminate sentences at Lewes Crown Court, which means they must satisfy strict terms for release.
Two customers were inside at the time of the raid at 03:30 BST on 29 April.
Sussex Police said Mraz was arrested with an imitation firearm and Drummond-Brown with two large kitchen knives and several hundreds of pounds shortly after the raid.
Det Con Ed Downes said staff were threatened and made to fear for their lives.
"There were seven staff - one man and six women - and two customers present at the time of the robbery," he said.
"Some of the staff received minor bruising but fortunately none of them required hospital treatment. They were all visibly shocked by their ordeal."
The men, both of no fixed address, had each admitted three counts of robbery, one count each of possessing an offensive weapon and one each of possessing an imitation firearm.
They must serve a minimum of four years each, and in order to be released have to satisfy the authorities they do not pose any threat to the community.
The owner of the massage parlour, who asked not to be named, said: "We feel that this is a totally appropriate sentence and we now just want to move on and put the whole incident behind us
"We have added even more security to our premises - but hopefully we will never have to experience anything like this again."