2/5/2008

Local News in Aldershot

Second shop raid in a month

Officers guard the scene of the robbery.

Robbers targeted an Aldershot post office on Tuesday, the second such attack in the town in a month.

The culprits raided the Boxall’s Lane branch, in the  Costcutter convenience store, at around 9am and stole a substantial but unspecified sum of cash.

Shop owner Mukesh Lalji, who took over the Costcutter tenancy only six months ago, was in his shop when the robbers struck. He said: “I don’t know what happened. I’d prefer to leave it to the police.”

Officers refused to say whether violence was used, the culprits were armed or any-body was injured.

Detectives from Hampshire Constabulary’s serious and organised crime unit have launched an investigation into what happened. Officers cordoned off the shop and the bottle bank car park adjoining Brickfields Country Park opposite the scene for much of Tuesday.

Four officers, three police vehicles and an unmarked car spent more than six hours at speaking to nearby residents.

The cash machine outside the outlet and the counter itself were still taped off on Wednesday morning.

The post office branch will shut later this month after being selected for the axe by Post Office Ltd as part of a countrywide cost-cutting measure.

Residents living nearby knew little about the robbery.

John Large, of Boxall’s Lane, said he visited the post office a few minutes before the raid but didn’t noticed anything amiss.

“They must have been very quiet, as I didn’t see or hear anything,” he added. “I have lived here for 20 years on and off and I haven’t come across anything like this before.”

Mr Large spoke of his admiration for Mr Lalji.

“They’re a lovely family and it’s such a shame what’s happened,” he added.

Andrew Burford, who lives opposite the post office in Verge Walk, was working in his front garden when the robbery took place, but a hedge obscured his vision, he said.

“I didn’t hear anything so they must have been very quiet,” he added. “I began work here at around 8.30am and everything seemed fine.

“The first I noticed was when the police cars arrived. They came round and spoke to me but I didn’t know what happened.”

Regular customer Kim Morfin noticed there was something wrong when he drove past the scene on Tuesday afternoon.

“I thought that it was a roadblock at first,” he said. “I often go in there for my newspaper or cigarettes and I know the owners. I hope that they haven’t been hurt. They’ve had some tough luck recently what with the post office having to close and now this.”

Taxi driver Roger Watkins, who also passed the post office on Tuesday, added: “What concerns me is that it was the second kind of raid in a month in Aldershot.

“It makes me wonder where the next place they’ll go for is. It’s unbelievable.”

Police said several people were assisting with enquiries, but no arrests had been made as the News went to press.

On March 31, two rounders-bat armed thieves raided the Manor Estate Happy Shopper on the corner of St Michael’s Road and East Station Road, attacking the owner before making off with cigarettes.

Benjamin Stanistreet, 18, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reason both admitted at Aldershot Magistrates Court to robbing the Happy Shopper. They will be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on May 16.

First printed in: Aldershot News and Mail