WALTHAMSTOW: Robbery terrifies bakery staff

12:02pm Wednesday 27th August 2008

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ROBBERS held up a bakery, stole cash from the safe and subjected staff to a terrifying ordeal.

Two workers at the Percy Ingle shop in Wood Street, Walthamstow, were serving customers on Friday afternoon, shortly after 1pm, when two men burst into the shop and demanded cash from the safe.

Assistant manager Kelly Jones said that one walked straight behind the counter, while the other one stood close by her.

The 23-year-old said: “He stood really close and told me not to move and I could feel something pressing into my side so I thought he had a knife - it was really scary. I froze and didn’t know what to do.”

Miss Jones said the robbers took her and shop assistant Tatiana Pavlin-kova, 23, to the back of the shop and shouted at them: “Where’s the money? Give me the money.”

Miss Jones, who had been told by bosses that handing money over was the safest thing to do, therefore gave the robber £900 in cash from the safe.

“They told us to lie down at the back. They were calm but I felt like we had to do what they asked. We stayed lying down because we didn’t know whether it was safe to get up or not. We were both crying. It was shocking. After it happened I couldn’t breathe properly,” she said.

The women remained still on the floor until they heard a customer calling “hello” from the shop floor, and realised it was safe to come out.

Miss Jones said she never believed the bakery would be robbed, but when she saw the men she quickly realised they were not shopping for cakes.

Police were called and arrived shortly afterwards to gather evidence and search the area.

A shop owner nearby said he saw two men leave the bakery and run off in opposite directions.

The shop closed for two hours, then other members of staff re-opened in the afternoon.

Fedai Akguc, shop assistant at the off licence and grocery shop nearby in Wood Street, said he was not surprised by the robbery because last year thieves broke into his shop and stole bottles of spirits.

He added: “About two months ago about ten shops were broken into in one night. They even took a cash machine from the street.”

The suspects are two black men aged 17 to 20. The first was about 6ft tall, wearing a silver crash helmet and a grey hooded top. The second was wearing a black hooded top.

Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to call DS Michael Dougall on 8345 3117.