Knifepoint robbery

The 35-year-old woman was cleaning Rushton's Poultry cooked meat shop in Market Street, Colne, which had shut for half-day closing, when she heard a knock at the back door at 1.15pm yesterday.

She opened the door, found no-one there and so closed and locked it and returned to the shop where she found the raider.

Her boss Stuart Rushton said: "He had a large steak knife and he threatened her. He knew just which button to press to open the till and he emptied it. The assistant, from Foulridge, who has not been named, was badly shaken but unharmed.

Detectives hope the robber was spotted by passers-by, because the area was busy and the shop backs on to the Red Lion car park which is well used.

Mr Rushton said: "If we had CCTV in Colne then I don't think this would have happened, but the council can only find funding for other things, despite the shop owners pushing for it.

"For the sake of a couple of hundred quid, it doesn't justify armed robbery.

"If anyone saw anything, please contact the police.

"It was obviously very well organised, he had plastic gloves on and knew just how to open the till. He must had hidden the knife somewhere after he left the shop and someone must have seen something."

DC Ian Taylor, of Colne CID, said: "The woman heard a knock at the back door and thought it was a delivery person. She carried on cleaning and there was another noise. When she went to investigate the offender came in the front door.

"She was told to stay still and the offender opened the till and grabbed the bank notes before leaving."

The robber was white, late 20s or early 30s, 6ft 2in, with mousey blond, crew cut hair. He was wearing a dark blue Adidas sweatshirt with yellow writing, stone washed jeans and gloves.

Police are appealing to anyone who has informationto contact Colne CID on 01282 425001 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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