FIREARMS officers were today at the scene of a suspected armed robbery in Ipswich where two shopkeepers were believed to have been held-up at gunpoint.
FIREARMS officers were today at the scene of a suspected armed robbery in Ipswich where two shopkeepers were believed to have been held-up at gunpoint.
As staff opened the Co-op store in Foxhall Road at 7am today, they are thought to have been robbed by two balaclava-clad men.
Police were called to the scene at 7.03am and immediately closed off the area around the store and began a search of the streets.
Officers taped off alleyways leading to the back of the store, in Gladstone Road, and patrolled the area leading along Fore Hamlet.
A police dog was also called to the scene to search for the suspects, who are thought to have left the area on foot.
A spokeswoman for Ipswich police appealed for anyone with information to get in touch.
She said the store staff, believed to be a man and a woman, had been left shaken by the ordeal but had not been injured.
Miriam Harrup, spokeswoman for the East of England Co-op, said: “We can confirm that two men entered the building fairly early this morning when staff were opening up.
“Thankfully everyone is OK.”
She said there had been no robberies at Co-op stores in Suffolk in the last few months and said incidents such as this were rare.
Staff were left standing outside the store, near Wellesley Road, this morning as police searched the shop and surrounding area for clues.
The shop was expected to close for most of the day as scenes of crime officers investigated the scene.
It is the first robbery in Ipswich for several months and is thought to be the first on a Co-op store in the county since the Brantham store was held-up on December 5, 2005.
In that raid two armed men threatened staff with a shotgun and a screwdriver and escaped with a quantity of cash, from a till and a safe at the back of the store.
Ipswich's Ulster Avenue store was robbed in December 2002 and the Sheldrake Avenue Co-op was targeted in January 2003.
Anyone with information about today's raid should call Ipswich CID on 01473 613500 in Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Weblink: www.suffolk.police.uk
Did you see the incident this morning? Were you one of the victims? Call The Evening Star newsdesk on 01473 324788.
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