Wtiness tells of armed raid horror

A TEENAGER spoke of his shock today after witnessing an armed raid on a Suffolk village store.

Two balaclava-clad men - one believed to be carrying a shotgun - escaped with cash from the Co-op in Brantham at about 8.20pm yesterday.

The pair confronted staff who handed over an undisclosed sum of money from the till and safe before the robbers escaped by car.

Graham Collins, 19, of Brantham, saw the raiders enter the store.

He said: "I was at the shops biking around and I noticed a car sitting down by the steps, ticking over.

"Then the car turned around and these people came out of it with balaclavas and then I saw a shotgun.

"As soon as I saw the gun, I immediately left.

“I think the car was a dark red or brown coloured Mazda estate.

"It was pretty shocking. You don't think you're going to see that sort of thing at 8pm in the evening."

Police said no shots were fired and no-one was hurt in the incident, but said staff at the store, which is in a parade of shops at Birch Drive, were “very shocked”.

The men approached the store supervisor and demanded he open the till. They then demanded the safe be opened, escaping with cash from both sources.

A police spokesman said: “We would like to hear from anyone who saw anybody acting suspiciously in the area around the time of the incident, or anyone who may have seen any vehicles.”

Staff told police they believed one of the men was carrying a shotgun, while the other was said to have been holding a screwdriver. Both were white, about 6ft and wearing burgundy balaclavas.

The getaway car was seen driving away towards the A137. The shop was closed for a short while and guarded by two police cars and a van as scenes of crime officers combed the area for clues.

This latest incident is not the first time the Brantham Co-op has been targeted by criminals. In January 2004, the premises were burgled.

Anyone with information about last night's raid is asked to call Suffolk police on 01473 613500.