‘We are going to shoot you’ – workers threatened as thugs steal £7,000 in Clapton Co-op raid

The other two men ran in after the first one had entered the back door (Image: Archant)

The attackers struck at Co-op in Theydon Road, Clapton, yesterday morning while the staff were taking deliveries and preparing to open.

After pulling up in a white van at 6.09am, they burst in through the back door and attacked a shop floor worker before demanding the supervisor opened the safe.

Within four minutes the men had fled in their van, leaving the shaken workers inside the shop.

The store manager told the Gazette: “Thank god they found the money and the keys to the safe were there, or they would have beaten them up badly.

One member of staff, a 'shop filler' was thrown to the floor and attacked (Image: Archant)

“They were shouting ‘we are going to shoot you’ but the guys are more affected emotionally than physically.”

The three workers, who all have young children, have understandably been given today off. But the attack didn’t stop one of them working the rest of his shift yesterday.

Police are investigating the robbery.

The thiefs walk out the store with the money, less than four minutes after entering (Image: Archant)