How post office staff fought off armed raider with a vacuum

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REVEALED: How post office staff fought off armed raider with a vacuum cleaner http://www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk/ ... 112011.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

POST office staff in Bishop’s Stortford fended off a knife-wielding would-be robber with a vacuum cleaner - it has been revealed.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information after the man struck on market day.

The incident happened just before 5pm last Thursday when a man wearing a high-visibility jacket, construction hat and safety goggles walked into the town’s main branch in South Street.

He threatened a female member of staff in the shop area and demanded money, but fled empty-handed after a male employee confronted him. No-one was injured in the incident.

A source told the Observer: “The robber held a large knife up to one of the employees and demanded another behind the glass start filling a bag with money.

“The woman he was holding the knife to started to fight back and another member of staff started hitting him with a vacuum cleaner. The robber dropped the bag of money and ran off.”

Police said the suspect was described as a white man in his 40s with a heavy build. The knife he was carrying had a black plastic handle.

He is believed to have made off up the alleyway beside Holy Trinity Church further along South Street.

Detective Inspector Stuart Orton said: “We believe the suspect may have been on South Street for at least 10 minutes prior to the incident. Did you see him?

“We are also appealing to anyone who lives in the roads behind the church. We believe the suspect must have had a vehicle to make his getaway. Did you see a man, possibly wearing a high-vis jacket, acting suspiciously or getting in or out of a car before or after this offence?

“He was carrying a blue canvass holdall, rectangular in shape, that has what appears to be white paint on the side and bottom.”

A Post Office Ltd spokesman said: “We can confirm that an attempted robbery took place at Bishop's Stortford post office yesterday.

“Staff and customers can be assured that their safety and security, as well as that of our sub-postmasters and our branches, is of paramount importance to us. This is now a police matter and we urge anyone with information to contact local police.”

Anyone with information should call the police non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference A2/11/1883. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

* A spokeswoman for Herts police said that, after house-to-house inquiries, a 46-year-old Bishop’s Stortford man was arrested last Friday on suspicion of attempted robbery and has been released on police bail.