£25,000 reward on offer after staff tied up in Aldridge bank robbery
Staff were tied up while robbers raided a high street bank before fleeing with cash, with a reward of up to £25,000 now on offer to catch the thieves.
Detectives have launched an investigation after the robbery at Lloyds Bank in High Street, Aldridge.
A reward of £25,000 has been offered to anyone who can help bring the robbers to justice.
It is believed that a thief gained entry to the bank as staff were opening up for the day at around 8.30am on Tuesday.
The man tied up staff and stole a large quantity of cash, however nobody was injured.
The bank was closed throughout Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as a result, but the branch has reopened today.
West Midlands Police have launched an investigation and are trawling CCTV.
Officers say at this stage it is believed that there may have been two people involved in the robbery, with one acting as a lookout.
A spokesperson for the bank said: “We can confirm there was an incident at the Aldridge High Street branch on Tuesday. Police are currently investigating and we are assisting with their enquiries.
"No customers or members of staff were hurt in the incident. The branch reopened today.”
It comes after three men threatened bank staff with machetes during an attempted robbery at the Barclays bank just two doors down in November.
The men, who threatened bank staff with machetes, spent just a minute in the building before they fled empty-handed and ran away on foot.
They had attempted to ram through the bank's front window using a van before fleeing, with the front window still boarded up from the incident.
Councillor John Murray, who represents the Aldridge Central and South, said it was 'shocking' that two bank robberies had taken place in such a short space of time.
"It is shocking that this is the second incident in a short space of time having Barclays attacked not so long ago. I am relieved that there was no-one injured if that was the case.
"But nonetheless it is a despicable crime and we've got to work with the police now to look at how we can bring them to justice. And how we can work harder to prevent it from happening again.
"For a small place in Aldridge its the kind of thing you except me to happen once in a lifetime.
"It is a good thing there is a reward on offer and we just hope someone who knows something will come forward and lead to their arrest."
One shopper on the High Street yesterday morning said it was 'worrying' that the latest robbery had come so soon after the attempted robbery in November.
Michael Cooper, 52, from Aldridge, said: "It is worrying for us as the public because of what happened to the staff, it is scary to think what might have happened if it was busy.
"I feel for the staff who had to suffer more than anything, this has happened not long after another attempted robbery and I don't know how safe they will feel."
If anyone has any information that could help the investigation call West Midlands Police quoting 20ws/112429Z/17
