Woolies safe gang in threat to kill woman

A Woolworths worker was forced to empty the store safe by a gang of raiders who threatened to kill her, it emerged today.

The woman was in the stock room of the branch in Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon, when four black men, all wearing black balaclavas, burst in and demanded she open the safe.

A "substantial" amount of the shop's Christmas takings was quickly cleared by the gang who escaped in a car waiting for them outside.

A Met Police spokesman said: "This gang burst into the stock room and completely overpowered the lone female worker in there. They made it very clear to her that they would kill her if she did not cooperate.

"They demanded she open the safe immediately and they cleared it of all the takings.

"It would be fair to say the victim was traumatised by her ordeal."

Police believe the men fled in a dark blue Rover 416i hatchback, registration P295 DOM, seen parked outside.

The leader of the raid, which happened on Sunday at around 10.40am, was about 5'8" tall. He was dressed in black and had a Bluetooth mobile phone earpiece in his right ear.

The other three suspects are between 5'10" and 5'11" tall.

Anyone with information should call the police Robbery Squad at Croydon on 020 8649 1217.