A GUNMAN escaped with hundreds of pounds after a raid on a supermarket on Canvey Island on Friday evening.
Police are appealing for witnesses after the raid on Phoenix Foodstores, in Canvey High Street place at 6.30pm.
A white man, wearing black clothes, a ski mask and gloves, threatened staff at the store with a black handgun and demanded money. He ran off after staff handed over money.
Police want to hear from anyone who witnessed the raid or has information, but are particularly interested in talking to two witnesses who were inside the shop just before the criminal struck.
One is a woman in her early twenties, wearing a red coat, grey scarf, and carrying a large, black shoulder bag. The other is a man, aged between 20 and 30, wearing a grey hooded top, jogging bottoms and a dark baseball cap with a white motif.
Police also want to hear from another potential witness who entered the shop just after the robber fled – a woman in her early twenties with blonde hair, wearing a pink coat and dark trousers.
DS Ian Collins of Benfleet CID said: “Canvey High Street was very busy at this time of the evening, we are appealing for witnesses to come forward to assist us with the movements of the suspect leading up to and after the offence."
Anyone with information is asked to contact either DS Ian Collins or DC Pete Rawlings at Benfleet CID on 0300 333 4444 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.