Attempted Robbery In Redditch

Police are appealing for information and in particular sightings of a heavily dressed man who attempted to carry out a robbery in Redditch using what appeared to be a fake bomb.

It happened at about 5.10pm on Friday, 19 October, at McColls newsagent in the Church Hill Centre.

The man approached the post office counter and told the cashier to put money in a bag and that he had a bomb under his coat which would be set off if she didn't co-operate.

The cashier could see something under his coat with wires hanging out of it but was convinced it was a fake and refused to give him any money. He asked her several times but after being refused again he left the post office empty handed.

He is white, about 5ft 4 or 5 inches in height, in his late 20s and was wearing a dark-coloured padded jacket, a red deerstalker type hat and a scarf over the lower part of his mouth.

Detective Inspector Leighton Harding of Redditch CID said: "Staff at the post office were convinced the bomb was fake but were still shaken by the incident.

"We urgently want to hear from anyone who may have seen this man on his way to or from the store as he would probably have stood out wearing the particularly thick jacket and hat.

"The man was seen looking at items in the store for several minutes before the incident so we would also like to hear from anyone who was in the store and thinks they remember seeing him."

Anyone with information should call detectives at Redditch Police Station on the non-emergency number 101, quoting incident reference 529-S-191012, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Issued: Tuesday, 23 October 2012