Gunpoint robbery at Sompting

At about 10.15pm on Saturday (August 13), police were alerted to the incident at Sompting Mini-Market in Seadown Parade, Bowness Avenue.

A masked man entered the store and pointed a black handgun at a member of staff before he demanded cash and cigarettes. No shots were fired and no one was harmed during the incident.

The suspect is described as a white man of slim build, aged 20 to 25 and about 5’ 10” tall. He was wearing a light grey hoody and dark trousers, and a dark grey woollen hat.

The man’s face was partially concealed with a black face covering, and he was also carrying a yellow drawstring plastic bag. He spoke with a local accent.

He ran from the store and was last seen heading east along Bowness Avenue towards Cokeham Lane.

Detective Sergeant Simon Dunn said, “While this was clearly a frightening experience for the member of staff involved, we’d like to reassure the community that it was an isolated incident, and we are doing all we can to try and trace the suspect.

“If anyone has any information at all – or saw anything suspicious in the area at the time – please get in touch.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact [email protected] or call 101, quoting serial 1566 of 13/08.

Alternatively, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 (www.crimestoppers-uk.org).

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