Images of suspects in Co-op robberies released
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We are appealing for information to help identify a number of people in connection with a series of armed robberies in north Essex.
On September 1, 2021 a masked suspect entered an East of England Co-op shop in Wood Road, Maldon, carrying an axe.
He ordered staff to hand over money and made off with between £2,000 and £3,000 in cash.
The crime reference number for this incident is 42/185874/21.
Can you help? This is incident 42/185874/21
On October 6, 2021 at about 7.55pm, three men entered a Co-op in Lawling Avenue, Maldon.
Two of the men were armed and ordered staff to hand over cash and cigarettes.
The crime reference number for this incident is 42/220670/21.
Can you help? This is incident 42/220670/21
On October 13, 2021, three men entered a Co-op in Old Heath Road, Colchester shortly before 9pm.
Two of the men were armed.
The men ordered a staff member to hand over money while another was instructed to provide packets of cigarettes. Both members of staff complied, and the men left with items worth a total value of between £2,000 and £4,000.
They left the scene by running through Cavendish Avenue before getting into a car and driving off towards Barn Hall Avenue.
The crime reference number for this incident is 42/229698/21.
Can you help? This is incident 42/229698/21
On November 17, 2021 three men entered the Co-op, in Lawling Avenue, Maldon shortly after 6.25am.
Two of the men were armed and threatened the staff before leaving with cash and cigarettes.
The crime reference number for this incident is incident 93 of November 17.
Can you help? This is incident 93 of November 17
On January 16, 2022, two armed men entered the Co-op in Old Heath Road, Colchester and assaulted a member of staff with a crowbar.
They left the shop with more than £4,000 in cash and more than £1,000 of tobacco.
The crime reference for this incident is 42/13445/22.
Can you help? This is incident 42/13445/22
PC Alex Plakhtienko, of the Essex Police Business Crime Team, said:
“These offences relate to a series of robberies during which violence has been used against staff members and a large quantity of cash and cigarettes were stolen.
“We are progressing a number of lines of enquiry and we have linked each of these incidents.
“We are now appealing to the public who may be able to identify the people pictured. I appreciate those who were seeking to identify have their faces covered but I would ask people to please look closely at the images to see if you might have any information which could help our investigation.”
Anyone with information should call 101 and cite the number relating to the incident you are referring to.
You can also submit a report online or use the ‘live chat’ function, which is available between 7am and 11pm.
Information can also be submitted anonymously to Crimestoppers or by calling 0800 555111.