POLICE are examining a burnt-out car to see if it was the getaway vehicle for armed robbers.
Three raiders wearing ski masks and brandishing two handguns and baseball bats grabbed more than £40,000 from the sub-post office at Cheveley Park, Belmont, Durham City, on Thursday morning.
They threatened staff with the weapons - there were eight customers in at the time - and made off in a silver or light blue Audi A3 driven by a fourth man.
The car had false number plates and yesterday police found a burnt-out car on land at Wingate and the remains of a set of registration plates next to it.
A Durham Police spokes-man said: "We are examining the vehicle to see if it might have been used in the robbery.
"We found two number plates next to the car that relate to a real car.''
No one was hurt in the raid and no shots were fired, but a pensioner with a heart condition needed hospital treatment for shock.
Detectives have already found baseball bats they believed were used in the crime.
They described the raiders as "dangerous men who appeared to be prepared to use their weapons on anyone who tried to stand in their way".
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0191-386 4222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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