Armed robbers strike at Walsall casino

The incident happened at around 7pm on Thursday at the site overlooked by the M6 northbound carriageway near junction 10.

Customers have told of their shock at what happened and said the drama was over in the space of a few minutes.

West Midlands Police have now launched an investigation and appealed for information.

Customers were left in tears after the raid.

The two masked men wielding knives, walked into the Grosvenor Casino in Walsall, before demanding money from staff at the venue's cash desk.

Andy Asbury, of Walsall, was among around 100 customers at the premises in Bentley Mill Way, Bentley, when the raiders struck.

He was at the back of the venue smoking a cigarette at the time and said:"It was around 7pm. I went out the back to the smoking area and when I returned to the restaurant where I had booked a table for a meal with my friend, one of the customers walked over to say that the place had just been robbed.

"I was told the robbers were way over 6ft tall and really stocky. The cash desk was emptied," Mr Asbury, of Coalpool, said.

He added: "Apparently these two blokes came in and screamed at everybody to move over to the bar. Then they went to the cash desk and took all the money. They were wearing balaclavas. It happened very quickly, all within the space of about three minutes. I think as we were heading out the back, the robbers must have come in at the front. A couple of the female customers were crying afterwards," the factory worker, aged 30, said.

He said casino staff took the names and contact details of all the customers before asking everyone to them to leave a short time later.

West Midlands Police spokesperson Deb Edmonds said: "An armed robbery occurred just after 7pm on Thursday.

"Two offenders went in to the casino armed with knives. They stole a quantity of cash. They made off in a vehicle."

No arrests have been made.

G Casino spokesperson Amy Culora said: "We can confirm that a robbery took place at our casino in Walsall on Thursday evening. We are happy to confirm that nobody was hurt during this incident.

"We are now working with the police to assist them with their enquiries."

Witnesses with information are being urged to telephone the force on 101.