A Premier store in North Ormesby became the latest target of crime when two masked men armed with “knife and wood” threatened the shop worker and ran off with the till on Wednesday (16). A man has been arrested in this connection.
According to local reports, two men wearing dark clothing and balaclavas entered the Premier Shop on Kings Road at around 8pm and threatened a male member of staff with a knife and a piece of wood during the incident.
The men then made off with the till in the direction of the Market Place.
Middlesbrough CID are investigating and have arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of robbery a day later. He remains in police custody facing questioning.
Detectives are appealing to anyone with information to call Middlesbrough CID on 101, reference 027319.
Increasing cases of armed robbery and crime targeting local stores are getting reported across the country.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in South Yorkshire, a Doncaster shop owner reportedly has resorted to arming himself with a wooden bat to defend his store from thieves who threaten his employees with knives.
Raja Hussain, who runs two shops in the town centre, said that thieves have targeted his store twice in the past week.
"It's just getting diabolical at the moment. The crime here is massive,” reports quoted Hussain as saying who keeps a two-foot length of timber behind the kiosk for his and his staff’s protection.
