THE owner of the Murch Post Office in Dinas Powys has thanked the community for their support in the wake of a traumatising ordeal which saw her robbed at gunpoint.
Noreen Davies was going about her daily business on Friday morning (October 19) when a masked man walked into the post office, and pulled a gun from an Asda carrier bag.
Terrifed, the postmistress and a female customer fled the shop, running into TC Ellis Guitars next door, where owner Tim Ellis immediately rang the police.
But by the time they arrived, the robber - who Noreen described to police as white, in his early to mid 20s and approximately 5'10" tall - had also fled, stealing around £1,500.
Noreen, who re-opened the post office following an audit at 1.30pm on Monday (October 22), said she did not wish to give the robber any more coverage than was necessary.
But she said the community had been "amazing".
"They have been fantastic," she said.
"We have amazing community spirit here and I feel like people really appreciate the post office. They have all been great with me."
Mr Ellis said both Noreen and the female customer were noticeably shaken up.
"They both screaming about a man with a gun," he said. "They said he had pointed it Noreen's face.
"They were both very upset."
After the incident armed police guarded the post office, while the police helicopter searched overhead and officers also went to the nearby railway stations.
"Fortunately no-one was hurt," added Mr Ellis.
"Dinas is usually so quiet. It was quite surreal, and scary, to see police walking around with assault rifles."
Anne Fowler, neighbourhood watch co-ordinator for Murch Road, who lives across the road from the post office, said Noreen was a much valued member of the community.
"We read the crime statistics and kid ourselves that we live in a safe area, but the chemist has been targeted twice this year, and now this!" she said.
"I feel so sorry for Noreen, "Shop owners today have enough to worry about without these sorts of things happening. "She's a lovely lady. "I really hope she is okay and that they catch the devil responsible!"
Police later released an e-fit of the suspected robber and appealed for information.
A spokesman said the suspect was wearing a white and blue football scarf, a dark jacket, a cap with a brown peak and jeans.
Detective Inspector Jason Redrup of Barry CID said: "It is very rare for an incident such as this to occur within the Vale of Glamorgan and I want to reassure the public that we are doing all we can to trace the man responsible.
"I urge anyone who may have witnessed the incident or anyone who may have seen the man described to contact us as soon as possible. Any information, no matter how small, could prove important to our investigation."
The police are still appealing for information.
But members of the public are warned not to approach the suspect and to contact 999 if they see him.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Barry CID on 01446 731606 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.