Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Armed raid at village pub

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Masked raiders, one armed with a knife, burst into an Alvechurch pub after it had closed and stole the takings after threatening staff.

West Mercia Police are now appealing for witnesses and information after the robbery at the Red Lion in Red Lion Street just after midnight last night (Thursday).

As one of the managers was locking up at the front he was shoved aside by a gang of four men who burst in brandishing wooden railings taken from fencing around the pub garden.
All of them were wearing balaclavas or scarves across their faces, and one was also armed with a small knife.

The manager, three male staff and two friends, one of them a woman, were threatened, forced to lie down on the floor and to turn their pockets out.

The gang took money from them along with an iPhone which was later found a short distance from the pub in Tanyard Lane.

The robbers also took a substantial amount of cash, which was the pub’s takings, and left at around 12.20am.

All four are described as: white males aged in their 20s who spoke with local accents. The were wearing dark clothing.

Detective Constable Kevin Simpson of Bromsgrove CID said: “Although none of the staff or their friends were injured, this was a nasty ordeal for them and they were obviously shocked.

“We urgently need to speak to anyone who was either leaving the pub or near it at around closing time and may have noticed a vehicle waiting there or saw these men hanging around.

“The discovery of the stolen iPhone in Tanyard Lane suggests this was the route the gang took after leaving the pub so we would also be interested in hearing from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious there.”

Witnesses or anyone with information should call DC Simpson at Bromsgrove CID on 0300 333 3000.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.