Armed robbers chased by choir members after post office raid
Market Bosworth soprano Caroline grabs broom to face thug
CHOIR leader Caroline Sharpe grabbed a broom and gave chase when an armed robber struck at a pop-up post office in a village hall.
The spirited soprano leapt into action and armed herself with the wooden broom when a raider threatened a woman with a metal pipe before snatching a cash drawer at Tilton-on-the-Hill.
Caroline was putting the members of the East Midlands Singing For Fun choir through their paces in the main hall when the robber struck at the pop-up post office in a side room on Wednesday February 5.
“We were on the final note of the final piece when I heard a man’s voice shouting in the next room,” she said.
“I wondered what was going on. Then I heard another man’s voice shout, ‘They taken the till.’
“I knew then that something bad had happened, so I ran into the kitchen and grabbed a longhandled broom and ran out of the door.
“I saw the robber with the drawer run across the road and jump into a waiting white car.”
Witnesses said that car was waiting with its engine running and sped off towards the A47.
The drama continued as a male choir member flagged down a passing vehicle and got in, shouting “follow that car”, and gave chase.
“Sadly they came back and said they couldn’t catch the getaway car as it had raced off at an incredible speed.”
Police arrived about 10 minutes later, and are now investigating the raid.
Caroline, of
Market
Bosworth, said the incident was a shocking experience for her and her choir.
“It was not the usual end to our choir practice!” she said.
“It was unpleasant and disturbing for all my group, but it must have been much worse for the poor woman who was threatened with the iron bar.
“I hope they catch the robber and his getaway driver.”
A police spokeswoman said the robber and the driver were being hunted.
She said: “Police were called at about 4pm on Wednesday by a member of the public reporting a robbery at a temporary post office in Tilton-on-the-Hill.
“A man had entered the premises in Leicester Road, pushed a member of the public to the floor and threatened the cashier with what was described as a metal pipe before leaving the building with a quantity of cash.”
No injuries have been reported. A Post Office spokesperson said: “We can confirm that there was a robbery.
“Any robbery is very traumatic for those involved and we will be supporting the police in their efforts to apprehend the individual responsible.”
■ Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, which is free and anonymous, on 0800 555 111.