A man was sentenced to six years and six months in jail on Thursday for robbing a gift shop on CIT Road seven years ago.

A Sealdah court on Thursday found Mohammad Shahanaz Alam alias Lula guilty of stealing a teddy bear, fancy watches, a jewellery box and Rs 7,000 from the shop by brandishing a gun in July 2013.

Alam, a resident of MM Burman Street in Jorasanko, had overpowered store officials threatening to shoot them with the gun before fleeing with the money and other items, an officer of Phoolbagan police station said.

The court found him guilty of robbery and use of firearms.

The gravity of the offence did not depend on the nature of the stolen goods, according to some officers.

“A man who robs a bank brandishing a gun is equally culpable like a man who steals a teddy bear from a store threatening store officials with a gun,” an officer said.

“In both cases, the intention of the offence is same — to rob,” the officer said.

Robbing a gift shop with a gun was rare, another officer said.

One of the store officials, Shyamal Biswas had been held at gunpoint, according to the police.

He had reported the robbery to the police.