POLICE are today hunting an armed robber who is believed to be responsible for holding up two Ipswich stores at gunpoint.For one of the stores involved, the Thresher Wine Shop in Bramford Road it is the second time in six months that it has been targeted by armed raiders.

POLICE are today hunting an armed robber who is believed to be responsible for holding up two Ipswich stores at gunpoint.

For one of the stores involved, the Thresher Wine Shop in Bramford Road it is the second time in six months that it has been targeted by armed raiders. Firearms officers and dog units were scrambled following robberies at the Thresher shop and the Co-op store in Ulster Avenue yesterday.

Police were working today on the possibility that the two incidents may be linked.

In the first robbery, a man dressed in black threatened staff with a handgun at the Thresher wine store at 6.10pm before escaping with a small amount of money.

Just over six months ago masked raiders armed with a crowbar leapt over the counter of the same off-licence and threatened two female assistants.

Police have still not made any arrests in connection with that incident in which the two robbers made off with cash and goods worth hundreds of pounds.

Less than four hours after the Thresher robbery, a man walked into the Co-op store in Ulster Avenue at 9.50pm.

It is believed he pulled a gun out on a female member of staff and fled with £180.

Nothing else was taken, according to a Co-op spokesman.

He added that bosses were today sifting through CCTV footage of the incident to check whether a firearm was actually involved.

"The female shop assistant immediately handed over the cash by following procedure. She wasn't hurt – just shaken," he said.

Suffolk police said the robber was described as white, 6ft tall, with dark hair, with a black scarf over his face and wearing a black anorak with white stripes across it.

Suffolk police control room Inspector Paul Sharp said: "We are not ruling out that the two robberies may be linked.

"Both happened in similar locations and the descriptions given by witnesses off the person involved is also similar, it is possible that the two robberies are linked."

Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.