North Yorkshire couple decide to shut post office following armed robbery

They say they don't feel safe

Author: Kathy GreenPublished 26th Apr 2024

The owners of a North Yorkshire post office say they've decided to close - after staff were threatened with claw hammers during an armed robbery.

It happened near Selby six weeks ago and one worker was injured.

Adrian explains what happened: "That day I was at home and when it all happened the staff out of the shop came into the house and shouted us in. We, if I dare say it, rescued our staff."

"As soon as we entered the post office they jumped out and ran away."

"It was a worry without a shadow of a doubt, but my input was to rescue our staff out of the shop and to get them as safe as we could which I did. But they were very worried for a while afterwards."

"We're just like a sitting duck"

Carole says it's had a lasting impact on her: "When the alarm went off the other day when we had an hour cut, I was in bed for over an hour and I didn't dare go downstairs and I just thought, just take what you want to take so we are nervous of vans pulling up outside of the shop."

"The local banks have all closed so they are encouraging people to bank at the post office so it means we've got a lot of cash on site and we've not got the security of measures to keep the money safe and we're just like a sitting duck."

"We both run a community group and we care about the community but unfortunately the safest thing to do for our staff and ourselves, the decision to close has been a hard decision but we feel like we have got to."

Carole tells us what she's like to see to help improve the situation: "Safe banking hubs, giving the community the support or bringing the banks to the community for the elderly who can't access going into Town."

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