Man claiming to have a bomb attempts to rob Redditch store (From Redditch Advertiser)

Man claiming to have a bomb attempts to rob Redditch store

1:00pm Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in Local

A MAN attempted to carry out a robbery in Redditch using what appeared to be a fake bomb.

It happened at about 5.10pm on Friday, October 19, at McColls newsagent, 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 with wires hanging out of it but was convinced it was a fake and refused to comply. He asked several times but after being refused again, left empty handed.

He is white, about 5ft 4-5ins tall, in his late 20s and 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.”

Police want to hear from anyone who may have seen the man on his way to, or from, the store, or noticed him inside the store, where he looked at items for several minutes before the incident took place.

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting incident reference 529-S-191012, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.