Belfast: Police linking two armed robberies
Staff threatened with hammer in Shankill Road area
Officers are investigating after two armed robberies, thought to be linked, in Belfast.
The first happened at a shop just before eight, the second around 11 in the Shankill road area on Friday night.
Staff were threatened with a hammer but were not injured.
Detective Sergeant Eric Fairfield said that police received a report at around 7.50pm that a man armed with a hammer entered a shop in the area and threatened two members of staff before making off with a sum of cash.
The man is described as being around 5ft 7in and wearing white trainers, dark blue jeans, a grey cardigan, a football scarf and a black hat.
He is also described as wearing yellow and red gloves.
Detectives are linking this incident to an earlier report of an armed robbery at a shop in the Shankill Road area on Friday morning.
DS Fairfield added: "At around 10.55 am, it was reported that a man entered a shop in the area armed with a hammer.
"He threatened a male member of staff and then made off with a sum of money towards the Agnes Street area following the incident.
"The man is described as wearing a dark coloured hooded top with yellow writing and a yellow design on the front. This man is described as wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, black trainers with a white design on either side of the shoes and a black mask.
"Inquiries are continuing and we would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident or who saw anything suspicious in the area, to contact detectives on 101.''