Security van hit in Tesco attack

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Monday 24th Jul 2006.

A GANG wearing balaclavas attacked a guard and made off with tens of thousands of pounds in a raid on a Group 4 Securicor van.

The robbers attacked the 24-year-old guard as he was collecting cash from the Tesco store in Hill Street, Blackburn, at about 6.05pm on Saturday.

Police said the guard was man-handled, threatened, and restrained during the raid as the gang snatched the cash box.

Although no weapons were thought to have been used, he was left shaken and nursing a cut lip after being punched in the face.

A woman Securicor guard was in the van, but was left unharmed by the gang.

There was shock around the store following the raid.

Tesco worker Asam Hussain said: "I am shocked that something like this could happen at your workplace.

"But we are not going to be put off from coming to work. It makes our team at Tesco stronger."

Fellow worker Numan Dilpazeer described the scene of panic moments after the raid.

He said: "I just saw the Tesco security man running in, saying that the security van had been robbed."

Arshid Mahmood, a councillor for Corporation Park, arrived at Tesco moments after the incident.

He told of the scene: "The two Securicor people were totally shocked.

"I just feel for the driver and the lady who were in the middle of it."

Police appealed for anyone with information to come forward, particular those who saw a white vehicle, which could have been the getaway car, in the area.

Detective Inspector Peter Simm said the scene had been forensically examined and officers were viewing CCTV tapes to establish potential lines of inquiry.

He said the attack happened while the security driver was loading cash from the Tesco store to his van.

Det Insp Simm added: "The men came down the steps off Hill Street and escaped back up them.

"The guard sustained a cut lip when he was punched in the face through his security visor.

"The incident has been particularly traumatic for the securicor officers, in particular the one that was hit and threatened.

"The people responsible for this do not hesistate to use violence and we are asking for the public's assistence because we want to catch the people who did this."

No one was available for comment from Securicor. The manager of the Tesco store declined to comment.

Anyone with information should call Blackburn police on 01254 51212 or anonymously and in confidence to Crimestoppers 0800 555111.

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