Hucknall newsagents’ left shaken after hundreds of pounds of cigarettes stolen

Welbeck News Bar, Broomhill Road, Hucknall, was robbed of £700 worth of cigarettes.

@IsabelDunmore

A Hucknall newsagents has been forced to change its opening hours after a female member of staff was robbed when opening up shop.

Welbeck News Bar, on Broomhill Road, had hundreds of pounds worth of cigarettes stolen in the early hours of the morning on 26th October.

Four robbers jumped the shop worker and took cigarettes to the value of £700.

Shop owner, Wayne Jones, branded the attackers as ‘cowardly’.

He said: “They waited until a vulnerable lady was on her own and then four big lads barged past her and helped themselves to fags.

“It is cowardly, they waited until she was alone and I think it is disgusting.”

A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman said the force is investigating the incident.

“We were called to a newsagents in Hucknall at 6am after it was reported it had been broken into on 26th October.

“Four men went in wearing hats and scarfs and took cigarettes.

“We are currently investigating and appeal for witnesses to contact us on 101.”

Mr Jones added that he wanted to see the police step up patrols in the early hours of the morning.

He said: “We have been forced to change our opening hours so that we open an hour later when there is more light and more people about.

“Business is not doing so great anyway so this is really going to set us back.

“It is the day and age we are living in at the minute, but police should be stepping up patrols in the area not cutting down.

“Everyone that comes in here tells me how they are struggling and are worried about money. People are becoming desperate and are going to turn to crime, we are living in difficult times.”

Rebecca Andrew, who runs R & D News on Annesley Lane in Hucknall, said the robbery has left all newsagents in the area shaken.

She said: “We need to catch these people because once they have done one they usually move onto others.

“We open at 5am so this news that a shop worker was jumped when opening up is obviously very worrying.

“We want to know who it was and how it happened so that we can put preventative measures in place to keep our staff safe. It is definitely a worry.”