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Knife robbery caught on camera

Damon Wilkinson
3/ 7/2008

CCTV FOOTAGE captures the terrifying moment a customer confronted a masked armed robber who held up a Passmonds shop with a kitchen knife.

The man, who was wearing a pair of tights over his head, burst into Denehurst Stores in Edenfield Road on Tuesday afternoon, forcing staff to hand over money from the till.

Even though he was carrying a knife the woman customer tried to stop him leaving the premises.

Owner James Oldham said: “The whole thing only lasted about 20 seconds. He ran in, shouted ‘empty the till’ and ran off again. The people in the shop at the time were shaken up, but no one was hurt.”

The man is described as white, 5ft 10ins tall, stocky, in his 20s, with short, mousey, blond hair. He wore a green and grey horizontally striped top, dark jeans and white trainers.

A man matching this description was seen in nearby Willbutts Lane before the theft.

Det Con Ben Harris said: “Though no one was injured, the victims were left badly shaken and this violent opportunist needs to be caught.

“People saw a man in a striped top walking down Edenfield Road or loitering in Willbutts Lane in the early afternoon and I appeal to them, or anyone else with any information, to get in touch.

“We must remind people not to take unnecessary risks or put themselves in danger to tackle criminals.”