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 third time within one year 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 third time within one year that it has been targeted by armed raiders.

Three women shop assistants were left traumatised after being confronted by the robber last night. Police believe the male attacker was armed with a sawn-off shotgun.

The first robbery took place at the Thresher Wine Shop, in Bramford Road shortly after 8pm yesterday. An unknown quantity of cash and cigarettes was stolen from a female shop assistant.

It was followed by a second raid, shortly after 9.50pm, at the Alldays store in Sprites Lane, with the man fleeing with an unknown quantity of cash and phone cards.

Two female shop assistants were on duty in the store at the time but neither was hurt.

A spokesman for Alldays said: "Both members of staff are unhurt but shaken and are off work at the moment."

Police believe both robberies were committed by the same man.

Georgina Westbrook, 83, lives next door to the Bramford Road wine shop said the sight of police in the area was nothing new.

She said: "I've lived here all my life and it has been done several times since I've been here.

"I live so near to it and it does make you worry."

She recalled seeing police outside the shop taking away a moped but was unsure whether it was linked to the crime.

Police were today unable to confirm any link and there was no one at the shop to comment early today.

A Suffolk police spokeswoman said: "A man between 6ft and 6ft 1in tall entered the store and threatened the staff with what is believed to be a sawn-off shotgun.

"In both cases the female assistants were threatened with the weapon and cash was demanded."

She added the robber was wearing a scarf and had a woollen hat pulled down over his head.

Det Sgt Duncan Shepherd, in charge of the hunt for the robber, said: "As this was Friday night, there were many people out and about in Ipswich at the time of these robberies.

"I need anyone who saw anything out of the ordinary to contact me as a matter of urgency.

"The 25-year-old female shop assistant at Thresher Wine Shop and the two female assistants at Alldays were traumatised by their experience."

Yesterday's incidents comes three months after Jason Creasey, 28, was jailed for life after raiding the same Thresher Wine Shop and also the Co-op Store, in Ulster Avenue just before Christmas.

He pointed a replica gun at shop assistants in the stores.

Anyone with information about the robberies should contact Ipswich police on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.