Bootle sweet shop robbed at knifepoint

Author: Grace MarnerPublished 6th Dec 2021

A member of staff at a sweet shop in Bootle has been left shaken after being reportedly threatened with a knife in a robbery at the weekend.

Police were called to The Sweet Joint on Linacre Road on Saturday afternoon (3.45pm, 4th December).

The suspect is said to have stole £200 from the till before fleeing on a pedal bike.

In a statement, Merseyside police said:

"It was reported that a member of the public intervened, pushed the suspect off his bike and retrieved one of the stolen bags of cash.

"The suspects then rode off towards the roundabout at the junction of Stanley Road, Knowsley Road and Linacre Road.

"No injuries were reported but the member of staff was left extremely shaken by the incident

"The offender is described as white in his late 40’s, 5ft 6in tall, medium build and spoke with a Liverpool accent. He was wearing a facemask."

Officers are now appealing for information or anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward to help their ongoing enquiries.

Detective Inspector Paul Gillies said: “Thankfully the shopworker wasn’t injured, but was left extremely shaken by the incident. We are determined to find the person responsible for this robbery and bring them to justice.

“Business burglaries are not a victimless crime, especially for small independent shops trying to make a living and it has a huge impact on the community if they close the business as a result.

"If you were on Linacre Road on Saturday afternoon and noticed anything suspicious, the man described riding off, on a bike or have dashcam or other footage then please come forward and we will do the rest.”

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact @MerPolCC on Twitter or ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook with reference 21000841097.

You can also pass information via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or their online form.

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