Masked raiders take £15,000 from Newport DIY store
Wednesday 14th July 2010, 11:27AM BST.
Masked robbers stole £15,000 from a Shropshire DIY store after forcing two women members of staff to hand over the cash in a night-time raid.
The two men, wearing balaclavas, fled with the cash from Focus DIY in Audley Avenue, Newport, shortly after 11pm on Monday.
The two women, aged 34 and 46, arrived at the store as key holders when the alarm was activated. They found no sign of a burglary and, thinking it was a false alarm, went in to reset it. But two masked men followed them and demanded to be taken to the safe.
Detectives said the terrified women were forced to open the safe and were then pushed to the floor and told to stay there while the robbers emptied the safe of the cash, which is understood to have totalled about £15,000.
A huge team of police officers including dog handlers, scoured the surrounding area for the men. No arrests have yet been made.
The two women, who were left shaken and traumatised, did not see any weapons during the raid.
Police said a silver hatchback, believed to be a Volkswagen Golf, was seen parked on the industrial estate just before the robbery. They want the owner to come forward to eliminate it from the inquiries.
Acting Detective Inspector Billy Scott, of Telford CID, said: “We are investigating the possibility that the original alarm activation was deliberate in an attempt to get staff to the store late at night in order for the robbery to be carried out. CCTV footage is being studied.”
One of the men was about 6ft and of big build. One is believed to have had a West Midlands accent.
Nobody from Focus was available to comment.
Anyone with any information should call police on 0300 333 3000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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