UPDATE: Tied up Stoneleigh Co-op workers had mobile phones stolen to prevent 999 calls

Three black men in balaclavas were seen fleeing from the store after the robbery in Stoneleigh Broadway at 9.50pm.

The robbers escaped with cash and cigarettes in what is believed to have been a dark getaway vehicle from Dell Lane.

A man from a nearby takeaway, who asked not to be named, said he went and spoke with Rob, one of the men who had been tied up, straight afterwards.

He said: "Three men came in balaclavas, all wearing black, and just basically tied them up. It was three on two. They took their cell phones so they couldn’t call out."

He said after the robbery Rob, who also had his wallet taken, managed to get free and asked a neighbour to call the police.

He said that later that night: "There were lots of police outside. They just came to the scene and stayed there for three or four hours taking statements that are not going to help them."

He said it was not like criminals would come back to the scene, adding: "What’s the point in five police cars in the Broadway doing nothing?"

He said there had been thefts of alcohol and ‘little stuff’ at the Co-op over the past four years. He said: "It’s not that surprising. The problem is the lack of security."

Although he was not really worried about a security threat to his own business, he said: "We have got to be prepared because they get caught out when they are not expecting it."

Ian Tempest, from the Farm Shop, said one of two male staff members in the store was apparently on his first night working at the Co-op.

He said: "It’s a shock obviously. We do know the staff in a general way."

He said over the years the Co-op seemed to have been a target for smaller scale thefts, even in the daytime.

Of the Broadway, he said: "It is a bit of a dead-end and a lot of places like Stoneleigh do have incidents."

Detective Constable Catherine Jenkin said: "It is fortunate that no-one was seriously injured during the incident.

"I am particularly keen to speak to anyone who saw the three men or the vehicle they were travelling in immediately after the incident as this information could prove vital to the investigation.

"I can assure the residents of Ewell that we are doing everything possible to trace down those responsible."

Anyone with information should call Surrey Police on 101, quoting reference EP/13/3448.

Did you see what happened? Call the newsdesk on 020 8722 6337 or email Alice Foster.

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