[20 DEC 00] CRIMES, FIRES & ACCIDENTS
Armed Raider Threatens Post Office

A man armed with a sawn-off double-barrelled shot gun pointed it at a postmaster and his wife as he tried to hold up a post office yesterday.

The man, wearing dark clothing and a dark balaclava walked in the post office in Lister Street at 4.45pm and pointed the weapon at the couple behind the counter.

Demanding cash, he banged several times on the security a screen. This set the alarms off and the man fled empty-handed.

He got into a light-coloured car, which could have been grey-blue, and drove off towards Tennant Street.

It is thought that one or two other people were waiting for him in the car.

The postmaster, his wife and a customer who was in the shop at the time were all unharmed but were shocked by the incident.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward. They particularly want to hear from a boy aged between 10 and 14 who was cycling past at the time.