Armed robberies linked by police after third attempt in Horsham in 16 days

CCTV images show a masked man police are tracing in relation to three armed robberies in the Horsham area in the space of 16 days.
CCTV footage of the robber at Elm Grove StoresCCTV footage of the robber at Elm Grove Stores
CCTV footage of the robber at Elm Grove Stores

The images above were captured yesterday (Tuesday September 22) when Elm Grove Stores in Horsham became the third store to be raided this month.

Detective sergeant Jon Robeson of Sussex Police said the crimes are being linked due to the similarities between the three.

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Officers were called at 4.15pm yesterday after a man came in to the store holding a hammer and demanding money.

A Sussex Police spokesperson said the man hit the till several times with the hammer and took money from the counter before leaving the shop and running up the alley opposite Eversfield Road.

Just three days earlier (Saturday September 19), a man attempted to rob the Warnham Village Stores at about 4.20pm.

The man entered the store, brandished a knife and demanded money from the shop assistant.

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Other staff heard the threats and came to help, and the man ran out of the shop empty handed, turning right into Church Street.

On Saturday September 6 at about 3.45pm, a man entered the Caterways store in Merryfield Drive, Horsham and demanded cash while holding a hammer.

The shop worker handed over a couple of hundred pounds and he left in the direction of Greenway.

DS Robeson said: “We are now linking these three robberies due to the similar actions and description of the suspect, the locations and the similarities in times.

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“The man is described as wearing tights over his face on all three occasions. He is also thought to be white and in his late 20s or 30s.

“In this CCTV image, from the Elm Grove robbery, he is wearing a distinctive blue hoodie and we are keen to hear from anyone who might have seen a man acting suspiciously in the area of the any of these stores or if you recognise this man.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact police on [email protected] quoting Operation Switch.”

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