Armed robbers strike at isolated village post office
MASKED MEN HAD KNIFE, CLAW HAMMER AND SCREW DRIVER
A COUPLE running an isolated village shop and post office have been robbed by masked men armed with a knife, claw hammer and screwdriver.
For villagers in tiny Knipton, which lies in the shadow of Belvoir Castle, it was a frightening reminder of a terrifying armed raid on the same shop 11 years earlier by two men armed with Samurai swords.
In that incident, the two robbers fled empty-handed after 68-year-old then postmaster Alan Garratt threw a bottle of sherry at them as they ran away.
Jonathan and Shirley Holdford, who have run the business for almost seven years, were left “shaken” after they were confronted by two men wearing masks in the latest robbery.
The robbers escaped with thousands of pounds’ worth of cigarettes and the contents of the till.
The armed raid took place on the morning of Sunday, August 11 in the sleepy village (population 120).
Mrs Holdford had just returned from buying stock, including the stolen cigarettes, and was unloading her car outside the shop in Main Street.
Mr Holdford said: “My wife saw them arrive and screamed. One of them grabbed hold of her. I was in the stock room and when I came out and saw them it was obvious what they were here for.
“They were dressed all in black with masks, one had a terrifying raid knife and the other one was holding a claw hammer and a screwdriver.”
Mr Holdford, who injured one of his hands in the tussle with the robbers, added: “I tackled one chap and the other fellow released his grip on my wife.
“One ran inside the shop and as I had an altercation with the other one he was screaming to his mate to hurry up.”
The robbers fled the scene in a vehicle with false number plates with the haul of cigarettes and the cash register containing the day’s float and takings.
The couple are still recovering from the trauma of the early morning raid in the village where most of the properties are owned by the Belvoir Estate.
Mr Holdford, who was kicked by one of the robbers, said: “We are still shaken, I hurt my hand from when I tackled one of them and I still have pain from it but fortunately we weren’t badly injured.
“Thankfully there were no customers in the shop at the time.”
The couple, who are in their early 60s, said they had beefed up security since the raid, which was captured on CCTV.
Mrs Holdford said: “Villagers have been very supportive since it happened and we’ve had lots of flowers from customers.”
A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said: “Officers are continuing their investigations into a report of robbery that took place at a shop in Main Street, Knipton, shortly before 8.30am on Sunday, August 11.
“It was reported two men had gone into the shop and become involved in an altercation with two members of staff. One member of staff, a man, was kicked by the suspects. The men then left the shop in a BMW with cash and cigarettes.
“Inquiries into the incident are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101.”