Armed robbers target Spar and Co-op

Masked robbers armed with with hammers and axes targeted two supermarkets in the Black Country within hours of each other, before fleeing with money and cigarettes.

The robberies at Spar in Coseley and Co-op in Finchfield, Wolverhampton, are the latest in a spate of armed robberies on stores in the area over the past few months.

Two men wearing motorbike helmets threatened staff at the Co-op in Finchfield Road West yesterday at around 5.20pm.

The store was targeted in June by hammer wielding robbers, who threatened workers at the back of the store taking in an early morning delivery.

Yesterday the men made off with a "significant amount of money" from the tills, according to Deb Edmonds at West Midlands Police.

The second robbery happened at Spar in Castle Street a few hours later at around 8.40pm in front of eight customers.

Two masked men threatened staff, jumped over the counter and stole cigarettes as well as the till. They drove off in a silver car.

John Robinson, aged 50 and from Coseley, who was in the store at the time, said: "I saw the men come into the store and they were holding hammers and axes.

"There were about eight people in the shop at the time. The men took all the cigarettes and the till. I hid at the back of the shop. It lasted for a couple of minutes."

Ms Edmonds said: "We don't think the two are linked. We are treating them as separate."

Last Wednesday Coseley Post Office in Castle Street was targeted by robbers with hammers who got away with a cash box.

During August, there were five armed raids at supermarkets in Sandwell, three in Dudley and one each in Wolverhampton and Walsall.

Anyone with information should call West Midlands Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.