Armed raid at bookies

Oct 10 2007 By Steve Johnson, Birmingham Mail

STAFF at a Midland bookmakers were terrorised by an armed robber who threatened them with a gun before fleeing with cash.

Police today appealed for information and released a CCTV image of a man they wish to speak to following the raid last night on the Ladbrokes betting office in Wood Lane, West Bromwich.

The robber struck at around 9.25pm yesterday.

Two members of staff, a man and a woman, were ambushed by the offender, who threatened them with a handgun and demanded cash.

Terrified staff handed over an undisclosed amount of cash from the till and the gunman made his getaway.

He was believed to turn left out of the bookmakers into Wood Lane.

The two members of staff were not injured during the incident and there were no customers in the store at the time.

The man in the CCTV image is described as black, 6ft 2ins tall, stocky/large build, with short shaved black hair, wearing a dark blue jacket and white t-shirt.

Police are urging the man or anyone who knows him to come forward. Anyone with information should call West Bromwich police station on 0845 113 5000 or crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.