Bank robbers took £75,000

A gang of armed robbers escaped with £75,000 in cash during a robbery at a Shropshire bank, detectives revealed today.

The masked thugs, carrying a handgun, crowbar and sledgehammer, fled with the cash in two bags from Lloyds TSB in Shrewsbury after threatening staff on Thursday morning.

The five men fled from the Mount Pleasant Road bank in a vehicle which they crashed into bollards in Sandford Avenue.

Some of the money was recovered when two male youths picked up some cash near to the scene of the robbery.

They were arrested by detectives but released without charge. Police today said they had no connection to the incident.

Detective Inspector Jason Wells, of Shrewsbury CID, said: "We have established that the cash taken from the bank is estimated to be in the region of £75,000.

"There was a group of children nearby who picked up a bundle of cash. Two of those youths were arrested but were not linked to the robbery in any way."

Mr Wells today said police were hunting five white men, all dressed in dark clothing who were carrying at least two large holdall bags and who man-handled staff during the raid.

He said they were seen hitting the bollards on the junction of Long Row and Sandford Avenue, before getting out of the vehicle when one man ran up Bulls Row.

The other four ran past the Compasses Pub and met up again with the fifth robber on Long Row. The gang then fled together running in the direction of Whitehouse Gardens and Bagley Drive.

Mr Wells said no other arrests had yet been made in connection with the robbery.

The black Fiat Ulysse which was used as the getaway vehicle had been recovered by police and was being examined.

The gang struck between 9.15am and 9.30am, just as a cash delivery was being made by a Group 4 Securicor van. Staff were left "shaken and distressed" as they feared one of the raiders may have had a gun.

Onlookers said the attack was "like something from the movies" as the men smashed the bank's windows and made their escape in the people carrier.

Anyone with information or who was in the area of Bagley Road, Mount Pleasant School or Whitehouse Gardens at the time should call West Mercia Police on 08457 444 888 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

By Kirsty Smallman and Pam Griffin