14/02/2011

Antrim Shop Robbers Condemned

Shop staff have been threatened by two armed men during a robbery in Antrim in which masked men - one carrying a gun and the other a baseball bat, forced their way into the shop in Caulside Park as staff were closing up.

The men escaped with an undisclosed amount of money yesterday and the PSNI have appealed for anyone with information about the robbery to contact them.

South Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA, Danny Kinahan (pictured) has called for society to show zero tolerance for crimes such as the recent robbery at the New Park Vivo shop in Antrim.

"It is totally unacceptable for small businesses who provide a life line for their local communities to be subject to such terrifying ordeals.

"This shop is in the heart of the community and provides the vital supplies needed by everyone who lives nearby.

"In the day of dominance by big supermarkets running such a essential business is no easy task and robbing your local convenience store is like robbing your grandmother.

"There is no place for such wanton and vulgar action anywhere - especially not in Antrim Town.

"I would ask everyone to take time to consider if they know or suspect anyone of this crime and report it to the police.

"I would then appeal to local people to make better use of this shop in a show of support for the owners who have bravely soldiered on through this awful event." he said, this morning.

(BMcC/Gk)

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