A SERIAL robber who held up a bank told workers as he left “have a nice day”.

Stephen Maguire raided the RBS in Glasgow's Shawlands on November 6, 2020.

The 45-year-old went on to target three separate shops within a few weeks.

A judge heard how Maguire was only held after "painstaking work" by police.

Maguire struck having been freed earlier that year from a lengthy jail-term.

It had not been due to expire until July 2026.

Maguire is now back behind bars as he pleaded guilty on Thursday via his KC Thomas Ross to three charges of assault and robbery and one with intent to rob.

He will be sentenced next month.

The court heard how the raids were carried out "very quickly and very calmly".

Prosecutor Chris McIntosh said Maguire walked into the RBS in the city's Kilmarnock Road and grabbed a bank teller by the shoulder.

Mr McIntosh said: "He told him to open the cash drawer or he would 'shove this in your throat'.

"The worker then saw that he had a knife - with a blade of six inches - in his right hand."

Maguire went on to point the weapon at another teller. He eventually got his hands on £161.

Mr McIntosh said: "As he left, he told the witnesses ‘have a nice day'."

Maguire had also unwittingly taken a "dye pack" disguised as £1000 of £20 notes.

It is thought it must have exploded after he left as a witness spotted a man with red staining on his T-shirt.

Maguire later turned on a female sales assistant at the One O One shop in Aikenhead Road in the city's Polmadie on November 15.

He initially went to the counter with a bottle of wine before pointing a "six-inch-long metal implement" at the terrified young woman.

This time he escaped with £170 in cash.

He robbed another One O One store in Alexandra Parade in the city's East End on November 24.

Maguire opened a bag and in a "calm, but firm voice" demanded a female worker fill it with money and cigarettes.

Mr McIntosh said: "He told her not to worry and that she would not get hurt."

He escaped with almost £600 of loot.

The final raid was at the McColl's store in Glasgow Road, Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire on December 13, 2020.

He ended up empty-handed after staff pressed a panic button.

Mr McIntosh said Maguire appeared "very forensically and CCTV aware" when carrying out the crimes.

This included disguising himself with different masks and also changing clothes on the day of a robbery.

The advocate depute said: "That made the investigation very difficult.

"If it was not for the painstaking efforts of the police to look at multiple pieces of CCTV footage then he may never have been arrested."

Judge Andrew Cubie remanded Maguire in custody pending reports.