Gang of robbers strike at Waitrose

Raiders carrying bins and armed with sledgehammers and crowbars burst through the doors of a Wolverhampton supermarket to steal thousands of pounds worth of cigarettes, police revealed today.

Terrified staff ran for safety and locked themselves in a back room of Waitrose off the Penn Road while thugs cleared the shelves during the raid.

The robbers escaped with about £5,000 worth of cigarettes after dumping them into five bins they had brought with them.

Police revealed that a crowbar and screwdriver used to break in had been recovered and were today being tested by forensic experts.

The raid took place at about 12.05am on Monday. Officers are investigating the possibility that the raid may have been carried out by offenders who targeted the nearby Co-op in Merry Hill on Saturday. The store in Trysull Road was robbed of £280.

Lee Page from West Midlands Police said: "This was a serious incident and we want to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in or around the store at the time of the robbery."