POLICE are hunting a robber who fled with £160 in off-licence takings after throwing pepper in a shop assistant's face.
The robbery at Chapel Stores, Olive Lane, Darwen, is the second shop theft in three days in the town.
In the latest incident an Italian-looking male walked into the Olive Lane shop at 8pm on Saturday.
He selected goods from the shelf, but when he went to pay for them he threw pepper in the shop assistant's face before grabbing cash from the till.
The thief had black, shoulder-length hair, and was wearing a fisherman-knit, dark jumper, and dark trousers. He is about 5ft 6in tall and slimly built.
Police are keeping an open mind as to whether the attack is linked to a failed robbery attempt in Blackburn Road, Darwen on Thursday night.
In that incident a white, male, who may have been brandishing a gun, fled empty-handed after the woman shop owner threw weighing scales at him.
A spokeswoman for Darwen CID said: "There are obvious similarities in the two attacks but we can not say at this stage if they are connected.
"We would like anyone who saw a man fitting the description hanging around Olive Lane on Saturday before the robbery, to get in touch with us."
Contact Darwen Police on 01254 701777.
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