Post Office raid in Astley Bridge

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/bol ... bridge.php

STAFF feared a robber would squirt petrol at them during a robbery at a post office.

The man had run into Astley Bridge Post Office and demanded staff fill a bag with cash when he threatened them with a bottle of liquid, some of which tipped onto the floor.

However, the postmaster was able to raise the alarm and the man fled having snatched just £20 from a customer who was making a deposit.
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Police were called to the scene in Blackburn Road just before 4.55pm.

No-one was injured in the robbery and the liquid was later found to be water.

Det Sgt Martin Bell, from Bolton CID, said: "The postmaster activated the alarm as soon as the incident happened.

"While it turned out to be a bottle of water, staff had reason to believe that because of the way he acted it could have been petrol so it was very frightening for them."

The man, who had hidden his face with a scarf, fled the scene on foot. He was described as white, wearing light trousers, a black hat and a dark bomber jacket.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

9:24pm Monday 3rd December 2007

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Posted by: Sunfun, Astley Bridge on 5:46pm Mon 3 Dec 07

This post office is run by Councillor Hillary Fairclough and her husband Don, I hope that they and there staff are all OK. I would urge anyone with any information to help the police and get these dangerous lowlifes locked up.

Posted by: Rocket, Bolton & Derby on 6:16pm Mon 3 Dec 07
Not necessarily - there are more than one P.O's on Blackburn Road, including a large one up towards the Bay Mare.


Posted by: don060541, devon on 6:20pm Mon 3 Dec 07
Simple solution issue all banks post office building societies with smoke bombs at the first sign of trouble press a button and release them.


Posted by: NRG, Lancs on 6:25pm Mon 3 Dec 07
Raiders thought to have struck at Post Office on Blackburn Road, Astley Bridge. Witnesses have reported seeing many police cars parked outside. It really IS the Framley Examiner.


Posted by: roger, skyworld on 6:54pm Mon 3 Dec 07

don060541 wrote: Siple solution issue all banks post office building soceities with smoke bombs at the first sign of trouble press a button and release them.

Why not use Mustard Gas?.....


Posted by: Sun Tzu, Bolton on 7:59pm Mon 3 Dec 07
I know a couple of armed robberies a week in Bolton is to be expected but two reports of raids in the space of 10 minutes, must be a new record. When will government realise that crime is out of control and act?


Posted by: Sunfun, Astley Bridge on 8:48pm Mon 3 Dec 07

Sun Tzuwrote: I know a couple of armed robberies a week in Bolton is to be expected but two reports of raids in the space of 10 minutes, must be a new record. When will government realise that crime is out of control and act?

Because Gordon Brown (and his soft on crime new labour chums) thinks it costs too much to put police on the streets and criminals in prison. But we can spend millions fighting a pointless war.

Posted by: WUMPKINS, bolton on 9:21pm Mon 3 Dec 07
Christmas time again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!



Posted by: Stuart Berwick, Dallas Texas USA on 9:32pm Mon 3 Dec 07
We have some good deterrents here in Texas that might be well used in Bolton from these kond of reports.


Posted by: Druid on 9:42pm Mon 3 Dec 07

Stuart Berwick wrote: We have some good deterrents here in Texas that might be well used in Bolton from these kond of reports.

Hey Stuart, don't start talking sense on here. We would rather have our Banks and Post Offices robbed.


Posted by: JoePublic, Bolton on 10:43pm Mon 3 Dec 07

NRG wrote: Raiders thought to have struck at Post Office on Blackburn Road, Astley Bridge. Witnesses have reported seeing many police cars parked outside. It really IS the Framley Examiner.

News just in: Man armed with water steals £20 note in post office raid.


Posted by: JoePublic, Bolton on 10:47pm Mon 3 Dec 07

Stuart Berwick wrote: We have some good deterrents here in Texas that might be well used in Bolton from these kond of reports.

They have even better deterrents in Saudi Arabia. Anyone for Sharia Law, then?


Posted by: KT on 11:28pm Mon 3 Dec 07
Petrol? At a pound a litre? Obviously what he needed that twenty quid for. Glad to see no one was hurt.

Posted by: ic31420, Horwich on 8:38am today

don060541 wrote: Siple solution issue all banks post office building soceities with smoke bombs at the first sign of trouble press a button and release them.

There is a security system called Smoke Cloak that is exactly this sort of thing. Search for it on You Tube for a working example. It was fitted at Barclays in Horwich after the first Robbery. Didnt seem to go off at the second robbery.


Posted by: parishner, bolton on 11:25am today
come on get yourselve a reward for christmas,someone must know this dickhead phone crimestoppers

[BoltonPostie]

I bet that was terrifying!

Give me the money I`ve got a bottle of Evian here and ain`t afraid to use it!!!
Or everybody on the floor now whilst I light my swan vesta `s.
Fook sake.

[BELIAL]

Must have been an inside job, the specialist knowledge required to find an open PO is a giveaway

[Stormproof]

At least someone turned up when the alarm was activated, i've had cause to press the bandit alarm a couple of times at work & was rescued from the situation by NOBODY

[TrueBlueTerrier]

At least someone turned up when the alarm was activated, i've had cause to press the bandit alarm a couple of times at work & was rescued from the situation by NOBODY

Reminds me of a story I heard once and its RM down to a tee sometimes:

�Not My Job�

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got upset about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.

SOMEONE ELSE

I know that all of you will be saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our most valuable acquaintances Someone Else. Someone's passing creates a vacancy that will be difficult to fill.

Our friend had been with us for many years, and for every one of those years, Someone did more than the normal person's share of the work. Whenever leadership was called for, this wonderful individual was looked to for inspiration as well as results.

Whenever there was a job to do, a problem to tackle, a meeting to attend, one name was on everyone's lips. Let Someone Else do it, everybody would say. It was common knowledge that whenever the need arose, Someone Else was one of the biggest contributors of time, spirit, self, and resources Whatever the shortfall, everyone assumed that Someone Else would make up the difference. Someone Else was an extraordinary person, almost superhuman. But a person can only do so much.

Were the truth known, everyone expected too much of Someone Else. Someone set a wonderful example for us to follow. But now, Someone is gone.

Who is going to do all the things we expected Someone Else to do? We can't depend on Someone Else any more.