Investigation launched after Shifnal bank van cash box robbery
An investigation has been launched into a robbery outside a bank in a Shropshire town which saw a security guard threatened with a hammer.
Hooded robbers jumped out of a silver Seat Leon and stole a cash box from a security van outside Barclays in Shifnal's Market Square.
Now police are appealing for help tracing the cash box – which is said to contain a significant amount of money – and urged anyone who witnessed the robbery to come forward.
The security guard, from G4S, was shaken but unhurt in the incident, which happened at about 12.45pm yesterday.
Detective Inspector Mark Bellamy of West Mercia Police said the robbers escaped along Aston Street on the A41 towards Tong.
He said: "We have already had several witnesses come forward but we are anxious to hear from anyone who saw any part of this incident.
"We want to hear from anyone who might be able to assist the investigation. In particular, we want to speak to people who possibly saw the getaway car before, during or after the robbery.
"We now know it was a silver coloured Seat Leon with some kind of yellow sign on its roof. It was probably parked up for a while before the incident."
The man who took the cash box has been described as 6ft tall, of slim build and probably in his 20s.
He was wearing boots, dark blue jeans or trousers, a blue jacket and a dark baseball cap. The second man remained in the car.
DI Bellamy also asked people in the Shifnal area to keep a lookout for a discarded plastic cash box, about two-feet long, 10ins wide and about 4ins deep.
John Keay, owner of Silks cafe opposite the bank, said: "I saw what appeared to be a silver taxi pull up and a hooded man with a hammer jump out. It caused a lot of disruption but the police were here very quickly. Everyone is traumatised. It's shocking to see something like this happen here."
Anyone with information is urged to contact Shrewsbury police station on 101 or 0300 333 3000.
