Mobile Post Office hit at last stop by raiders
POLICE are hunting a masked raider who vaulted over the counter of a mobile post office in Hamsterley.The acrobatic thief demanded money from the postmistress last Monday, at 3.30pm.
The mobile service, which has only been operating for eight months, was making its last stop of the day when the incident happened. It also serves Witton Park, Witton-le-Wear, Toronto, Escomb, Fir Tree and Newfield. The part-time postmistress was not injured but was left badly shaken.
Sub postmistress Margaret McCombie, who recruited the part-time worker to drive the mobile shop around the dale said: "We don't carry a lot of money on the van and because it was the end of the day, there was even less as we had a lot of people draw their pension.
"The postmistress was left extremely shocked but she will not be beaten by the thief and she determined that she is coming back to work.
³I would like to thank the police for their quick response as they arrived minutes after she pressed the alarm.
"The thief must have been quite fit and small as he flipped himself into the van through the gap where we serve customers.
I don't want any of our customers to be put off, we were put in the village to provide a service and it will continue."
The mobile post office van has a number of security measures, but Ms McCombie said the thief warned the postmistress not to press any of the buttons.
The suspect is described as having a local accent and was wearing dark clothing with a ski mask.
He made his getaway towards the A68 in an L reg dark-coloured Mercedes, driven by an accomplice.
Police say a vehicle matching the description was seen a couple of hours before the incident acting suspiciously.
A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "We are constantly renewing our security policy with the help of the police "At this stage there has been no decision to put up an award."
A new-look post office van is to be introduced within the next couple of months offering residents the chance to climb on board to use the service.
Anyone who has information or saw the vehicle driving around the village is asked to contact Bishop Auckland CID on 0845 6060365 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.