Robber escapes with cash after holding Peterborough shop staff at knifepoint in eighth incident in 12 days

The robbery at the Co-op in Southfields Drive took place at around 9.40pm last night, Monday April 9.

An offender entered the shop and threatened staff with a knife, demanding money. Staff handed over a quantity of cash and the offender left the shop, heading along Lawson Avenue.

Nobody was injured in the raid but staff were left shaken.

The offender his face covered with a scarf, and was wearing tracksuit.

It is the seventh time a Peterborough shop has been robbed in the last 12 days.

Anyone with information should contact PC Stuart Cooper from the robbery team at Thorpe Wood Police Station on 101 with incident number CF0186640418.

Detective Inspector Dave Taylor told the Peterborough Telegraph that a dedicated robbery squad were investigating the offences and while last night's incident was not been linked to previous raids, four of the robberies had been linked and two people had been arrested.

Two Peterborough men, a 29-year-old and a 31-year-old, were arrested on Wednesday April 4 following four of early morning robberies at shops in the city which police have linked. Both were released under investigation on Thursday April 5.

Details of the four robberies police have linked are:

The One Stop in the Parnwell Centre was robbed just before 7.45am last Wednesday morning, April 4. A man with his face covered entered the shop and is believed to have made off with some cash.

At the same premises on Friday March 30 at about 7.45am. Two men entered the shop and one went behind the till and took a handful or tobacco packs. When challenged the man pulled out a knife. No one was injured.

Anyone with information should contact police quoting CF0167870318

On the same day, Friday March 30, police were called to a robbery at Gunthorpe Discount Store in Hallfields Lane at just after 7.30am on March 30.

A man entered - described as white, 6ft, medium build wearing a chequered fleece outer garment, pink gloves and a black balaclava covering his face. Another man stood outside the door described as being about 5ft 8 inches tall wearing a black coat with a hood up.

The first man demanded money and brandished a large kitchen knife. A member of staff hit the panic alarm and picked up a stool to defend himself. The robber knocked over a display and then fled empty handed.

Anyone with information about this raid should contact CF0168130318.

Shortly before the robbery at the One Stop last Wednesday, two masked men assaulted a member of the public at Bal’s General Store, leading to officers cordoning off a stretch of St John’s Street.

Police were called about the incident at 7.25am. A spokeswoman said two masked men entered the store and demanded money before assaulting a member of the public. They left empty handed. Police have also linked this offence to the One Stop incidents.

Anyone with information on that attempted robbery should contact police quoting reference CF0167870318.

Officers are also looking at whether a robbery which took place at 10.35am on Sunday April 8 is linked. A man entered a store on Gunthorpe Road, Peterborough with his face covered and carrying a metal baton. He demanded money but left with just cigarettes. Nobody was injured.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting reference CF0183800418.

Additional non-linked robberiesTwo further robberies occurred at a Ladbrokes at the Werrington Centre in Skaters Way. More than £1,000 was stolen across the raids and staff threatened with weapons which police said are not believed to be firearms.

The first incident took place at about 9.30pm on Wednesday, March 28 and the second on Monday April 2 at about 5.15pm.

On both occasions a man entered the bookmakers, threatened staff and demanded money. As well as taking money, a tablet computer was also stolen during the second robbery.

The man in the first incident is described as white, aged 21-40 and 5’11” to 6’. He was wearing a green jacket and a dark coloured beanie. The man involved in the second incident is described as white, but with a tan, 5’9”, stocky build with stubble and aged approximately 30. He was wearing a black hoodie, jeans and a beanie hat.

Anyone with information regarding these incidents should contact police, quoting CF0165590318.

Investigations into all the incidents continues.