Armed robbers strike at Prudhoe Spar shop

Nov 19 2009 by Sophie Doughty, The Journal

DETECTIVES were last night hunting armed robbers who held-up a Northumberland supermarket.

The raiders burst into the Spar shop on Prospect Terrace, in Prudhoe at around 4.40pm, yesterday.

Wearing ski-masks and brandishing a metal pole with a chain attached and a metal cosh, the robbers threatened the shopkeeper and demanded money.

One of them helped himself to three bottles of alcohol before the pair fled with the booze and a quantity of cash.

The shopkeeper was not injured but was left shaken by the ordeal. The raiders fled in the direction of Western Avenue and were last seen in the grounds of Prudhoe Castle.

The men are described as being in their late teens or early 20s wearing black ski-masks, gloves and dark clothing.

One of them was also wearing a baseball cap. Det Insp Paul Knox who is investigating the raid last night appealed for help to catch the robbers.

He said: “This was a frightening experience for the shopkeeper and I would urge anyone who saw anything at the time of the incident, outside the shop or in the vicinity of Western Avenue or Prudhoe Castle to get in touch.”

Meanwhile, detectives probing an armed robbery at another Spar store, earlier this month have renewed their appeal for help from the public.