CCTV footage shows the moment a masked robber held a knife to a shop worker’s throat as he demanded cash from the till.
The man, dressed in black, holds his 57-year-old victim by the neck and forces him to open the till while brandishing a large knife in the raid at Crossways newsagents in Hounslow.
Police believe the robber, thought to be aged between 20 to 25-years-old, has struck three times in the same area. Today they released CCTV footage of the raid in a bid to trace him. They also released images of a man they wish to question in connection with the incident.
In the robbery on November 5, the robber filled up a bag with cash and cigarettes before the victim managed to activate a panic alarm, police said.
The suspect then fled the shop down nearby Sutton Way.
Police said the suspect targeted the same newsagents again just four days later on November 9.
A man walked into a barber shop in Vicarage Farm, Hounslow, as the 27-year-old victim was cutting a customer’s hair.
The man held a 12 inch blade to the barber’s throat and demanded his wallet. He threw it to the floor and the robber grabbed it before heading to a nearby BP Garage.
Police described the robber as an Asian male, about 6ft tall, wearing a black hooded jumper, jogging bottoms, gloves and black trainers with red laces. In the CCTV footage he was concealing his face with a bandana.
Detective Constable David Ward, from Hounslow CID, said: "It is imperative that we find this man before he commits further offences and endangers even more innocent people. We have a very good image of the suspect and we are sure that someone will recognise him.
"We believe this is the third knife-point robbery this suspect has committed in a short space of time. We really need help from the public to identify this man. Your information could vital and could stop someone being seriously harmed."
Anyone with information can call 020 8247 6650, the police non-emergency line on 101 or anonymously on Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
