A SECURITY company is offering a reward of up to £5,000 after a botched armed raid outside a Bury bank this week.

Minutes after a Securicor guard was robbed of a cash box outside Barclays Bank on Crostons Road, the raiders' getaway car smashed into an articulated lorry.

The robbers fled on foot, leaving behind the cash in their damaged Ford Orion.

The drama happened at 10.30am on Tuesday (April 27) when a 53-year-old Securicor guard was making a cash delivery to the bank.

Detective Sergeant Dave Maguire of Bury police said: "Once he got out the vehicle, he took the cash box.

"He was then approached by a man brandishing a handgun and the guard was forced to hand over the cash box. The gunman then ran off with another male."

The pair sprinted to a nearby side street and into a silver Ford Orion, which had been stolen earlier from the Droylsden area of Manchester, with a third man at the wheel.

The car was driven off at speed along Wike Street, but then crashed into the side of an articulated vehicle.

Det Sgt Maguire added: "All three escaped from the vehicle and ran off. A quantity of cash was recovered from the car, and it appears the men fled empty-handed."

Now, Securicor is offering a reward of up to £5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the raiders.

The gunman is described as being aged 30, 5ft 8ins tall, heavy build, clean-shaven and wearing a blue bomber jacket and dark-coloured gloves. He was carrying a silver handgun with a 6ins barrel. Police say the weapon was not a revolver.

His accomplice at the scene of the robbery was aged 25-30, 5ft 10ins tall, medium build and was wearing a grey, possible fleece, jacket.

Two number plates, J713 GRN, were found in the boot of the getaway vehicle. Police would also like to hear from anyone who may know who made up these fictitious number plates.

Detectives are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward. They can contact Detective Constables Mick Balfe or Mike Garvin at Bury CID on 856 8150. Alternatively, they can freephone CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

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