Armed raiders strike at Tipton supermarket
Masked robbers armed with a sledgehammer broke into a supermarket and stole cigarettes and money.
Staff at the Tipton Co-op were left shocked but unhurt following yesterday's raid at around 5pm.
A 27-year-old man has been arrested and bailed pending further enquiries.
A van that police believe was used in the Owen Street robbery was later recovered.
The alarm was first raised by Paul Samra, who runs Union Street Post Office across the road.
Mr Samra, who has run his business for 19 years, said: "Two elderly ladies ran into my shop very scared.
"This has happened so many times round here. I am worried about my own business and we all feel more need to be done round here to stop this sort of thing.
"It has happened so many times but nothing ever seems to be done."
Kerry Wood, who runs Up To Scratch Nails & Beauty in Union Street, said she had closed up when the raid happened but had been told about the robbery by customers.
She said: "A similar thing happened when I opened a year ago but that time an axe was used."
Lee Page, spokesman for West Midlands Police, said: "Police are investigating a robbery after two people in balaclavas carrying a sledgehammer got away with cigarettes and a quantity of cash."
