STAFF at a petrol station in County Durham were threatened with a knife by a man trying to steal cash from the safe.

The robbery happened at the Jet Petrol station in West Rainton at about 8.50pm on Sunday.

A man armed with a knife entered the store and climbed on the counter before threatening staff.

Police say he grabbed cash from the till and demanded the employee open the safe but the victim managed to get away to raise the alarm.

 

The suspect left the petrol station and turned right.

Staff were not injured during the robbery but were left shaken by what happened.

Police constable Anna Pittam, of Durham Police, said: “The victim was very brave during this ordeal and we are working hard to catch the offender. We are appealing to anyone who recognises the man in the CCTV to get in touch.”

The offender is described as a white man of a large build, approximately 5ft 5, in late 30s-early 40s and spoke with a local accent. He was wearing a khaki green coat with a hood which has a peak on it, dark coloured tracksuit bottoms cuffed at the ankles and dark coloured trainers with a white rim around the bottom of them.

Anyone with information is asked to call Durham Constabulary on 101 quoting reference 433 of November 11.