Armed raid terror for video shop staff and customers
8:55am Thursday 9th February 2012 in News
TWO raiders armed with crowbars stole games consoles and hundreds of pounds in cash from a video rental store while terrified customers were inside the shop.
The masked robbers ran into Blockbuster in Wigan Road, Westhoughton, at about 8.30pm on Tuesday and threatened staff before escaping in a silver saloon car.
Staff and four customers were in the shop at the time and, while noone was injured, they were said to be left shaken by the incident.
One of the customers was also robbed of their wallet.
Staff were not allowed to speak to The Bolton News but nearby traders said the raid was worrying.
Sharon Calter, from nearby Monks Dry Cleaning, said: “I’m shocked.
It’s getting terrible round here. There was the bank a few weeks ago and now this.
“It must be desperation when people do things like this. It only scares people at the end of the day.”
Jess Norris, who runs JLN Pole Fitness in a studio above the shop, said: “We were open, but I was in our studio in Farnworth at the time. I heard about it and it is horrifying to know that something like that was happening while we were open upstairs.”
Three men were foiled last November when they tried to rob a cash delivery guard as he went into nearby Barclays Bank in Market Street.
Staff activated the security shutters and smoke deterrent and the men fled empty-handed.
Police are not linking the two incidents.
Local councillor David Wilkinson is now calling for better street lighting in nearby School Street.
A £500,000 pot is available from Bolton Council for improving town centres such as Westhoughton’s. Horwich has already been promised £100,000 for sprucing up flower beds and replacing unsightly bins.
Cllr Wilkinson said: “This will be worrying for shopkeepers, especially those who are open in the evening.
“I hope the CCTV system in the town centre is capable of catching them.”
A spokesman for Blockbuster said: “We can confirm there was an incident at our Wigan Road store on Tuesday evening. We are working closely with the police in their investigation.”
Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
