Armed raiders target bookmakers

POLICE are appealing for information after two bookmakers were robbed on the same Oldham street on the same day.

Descriptions of the offender are different, but detectives haven’t ruled out that the raids at Ladbrokes and Bet Fred are linked.

The first happened at 7.30pm on Tuesday, December 22 at Ladbrokes in Ashton Road. The lone robber, described as a slim man with a dark beard, said something to staff members who then fled to the storeroom and locked themselves in. The man left the shop empty-handed.

He was wearing a white and grey checked coat with a rip in the back and was believed to have been carrying an unknown weapon in his sleeve.

The second incident happened at 8pm the same day at Bet Fred in Eldon Precinct off Ashton Road. The lone robber, described as around 5ft 6in tall and in his late 20s or early 30s, went into the shop with his hood up. He was asked to remove the hood and had a pair of tights over his face. He demanded cash and produced a small kitchen knife to threatened staff. They handed over a small amount of money and he ran off. He was carrying a burgundy woolly hat and was wearing jeans and a red long sleeved bubble coat with a red hood.

Police are appealing for information and witnesses.

Anyone with information should call police on 0161-856 9063 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555 111.