A GANG of masked men threatened staff during a robbery at a Belbroughton newsagents.

The incident happened on Wednesday, April 2, just after staff had closed the store.

Two men who work at McColl's in the village's High Street were cleaning and cashing up when four robbers burst in through the back door and attacked them.

One of the staff was grabbed and threatened with a bottle and the other was punched in the face during the incident, which happened between 10pm and 10.30pm.

The raiders, all men with their faces covered, forced staff to open a safe and took cash from it, along with cigarettes from a display behind the till.

A neck chain was also stolen from one of the store workers who was pushed into a toilet and ordered to stay there while the robbers escaped the way they had come in.

Officers, hunting the gang, visited the scene following the raid to establish exactly how much had been taken.

Detective Sergeant Natalie Martin of North Worcestershire CID said: “The staff were checked over by an ambulance crew and apart from some bruising they were not injured. However they were both clearly shaken up by what happened.

“The robbers indicated they were armed but no weapons were actually seen.

"They may have parked off an alleyway at the back of the store or possibly on the car park of the Ye Olde Horseshoe Inn, which is also near the back of the premises.

“If you think you might have seen these men or the vehicle they were using in High Street or in and around Nash Street then we would very much like to hear from you as a matter of urgency.

"Any detail, no matter how small, could be useful to our investigation and it’s important we catch these men as soon as possible.”

DS Martin added that detectives were studying CCTV footage and officers had also been carrying out door-to-door enquiries seeking witnesses.

Reassurance patrols are being carried out by the Safer Neighbourhood Team and extra attention will be given by officers to other shops and businesses in the area.

Anyone with information is asked to call DS Martin at North Worcestershire CID on non-emergency number 101, quoting the incident reference 713-S-010214.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.