POLICE today refused to rule out any links between a string of post office raids which have terrorised Suffolk.In the past month has seen six post offices targeted as robbers try to snatch cash from the tills or safe - and on the face of it, the raids and attempted robberies look similar.

POLICE today refused to rule out any links between a string of post office raids which have terrorised Suffolk.

In the past month has seen six post offices targeted as robbers try to snatch cash from the tills or safe - and on the face of it, the raids and attempted robberies look similar.

They all happened at about 5pm, and were carried out by two or three men.

A police spokesman said today: "Yes, on the face of it there do appear to be similarities, which raises the question: are they connected?

"The answer is, that it cannot be ruled out. We are keeping an open mind."

He added that information on the raids was being shared with other forces across the region as they usually do in such cases, and detectives were discussing intelligence with counterparts in neighbouring forces.

On December 11, two balaclava-clad black men raided the post office in Debenham, carrying what appeared to be shotguns, and demanded cash.

They escaped with a small quantity of money.

On December 18, Hacheston post office near Wickham Market was raided.

Two men, one of whom was carrying a shotgun, escaped with cash. It was the third time the village post office had been targeted this year , and it had also been the victim of a burglary.

On December 23, two balaclava-clad robbers burst into Christchurch Street post office in Ipswich, threatened the people inside with shotguns before fleeing empty-handed in a Ford Fiesta.

Today we can reveal one was wearing a khaki green waist-length jacket, and the other had a sports-type jacket.

On Christmas Eve, robbers threatened two shop workers at Londis, Thetford Road, in Brandon with a metal bar, demanded keys to safe but were refused and fled with cigarettes instead.

We can today reveal that they left the store separately after the raid, two of them carrying the stolen cigarettes in black bin bags, which they are believed to have taken to a nearby vehicle.

The men are all white, and aged about 30. One is 6ft 3ins, thin, with stubble, wearing a cream/light fleece with the hood up, under a coat.

The second man is 5ft 10ins, scruffy, and was wearing a dark duffel coat, dark beanie hat, and dark woolly gloves.

Police believe the same three were in the store at 6pm, an hour before the offence.

On December 29, three masked men burst into Shotley Gate post office and threatened the two women and man working there, escaping with cash.

On December 30, an armed raid on Exning Road post office, Newmarket was carried out by two masked men. They were armed with an axe and what was believed to be a gun.

They escaped with cash, in a beige G-reg Ford Granada which was later found in Studlands Park, when two men were seen getting into a blue saloon car.

We can today reveal that the first man is 5ft 9ins to 6ft tall, and was wearing a green balaclava. He is stocky, white, and also wore a Puffa jacket and dark trousers.

The second man who was believed to have been carrying a shotgun, wore a black balaclava, dark clothes and blue jeans. He was also white and stocky.

The post office raids in December followed two others in October.

The first of those happened at 7.10am on October 27 at Hawthorn Drive post office, in Ipswich. Two people beat up postmaster but fled empty handed in dark Audi.

Then at 3.30am on October 29, burglars broke in to Trimley post office and stores and stole almost all its cigarette stocks, and made off in a large white car.

N One man is currently under arrest for the Shotley Gate raid.

N If you have any information on the raids, please telephone Suffolk Police on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.