A GUNMAN and an accomplice held up a convenience store and demanded staff fill a bag with cash from their tills on Saturday night.

At 9.35pm two men, one armed with a handgun, entered the One Stop Shop in Regent Street, Stotfold, as staff were cashing up for the night and replenishing shelves. One of the men handed a bag to a member of staff and said: “You know what to do.”

The member of staff then filled the bag with money from the till while a second member of staff was instructed to do the same with the till that she had been cashing up at the back of the store.

After the bag was filled, the offenders fled the store and headed on foot down Regent Street towards The Green.

Both men had their faces covered during the raid and were wearing orange gloves. The offender who spoke during the robbery had an Irish accent and was wearing a fleece jacket and blue bottoms.

Detective Constable Guy Steel-Jessop, who is investigating the raid, said: “This was quite an ordeal for the staff who were working in the shop, who did what was demanded of them and thankfully no one was harmed.

“Bedfordshire Police takes firearm-related crime extremely seriously and will not tolerate guns in our towns or villages. With the help of the public we will continue to crack down on criminals who use offensive weapons.

“We need to speak to anyone who may have been in the Regent Street area of Stotfold on Saturday night and noticed these men loitering close to the shop.

“I’d also like to speak to anyone who may have seen these men fleeing the area soon afterwards, or may have seen a vehicle that they could have used during their escape.”

If you have information relating to this incident, contact DC Steel-Jessop, in confidence, on 01234 275351, call the police’s non-emergency number 101, or text information to 07786200011.

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