Terrified female staff members were threatened and locked in the toilets while another was forced to open the safe in the third of a series of robberies at local travel agents.

The latest incident in the series of linked crimes happened last Thursday at Thomson travel agents in Leatherhead High Street.

Two men wearing yellow reflective jackets with Lambeth Council written on the back burst into the office at about 10.10am and forced three members of staff into an office at the rear.

Two were locked in the toilets while a third was forced to open the safe. The robbers grabbed sterling and foreign currency and put it into a JD Sports drawstring bag before making their escape.

Three robbers used a similar technique when they struck at another branch of Thomson's in Epsom High Street on Monday August 13, again locking members of staff in the toilet and grabbing sterling and Euros before making their escape.

The first of the series of three robberies, which are also being linked with robberies in the Metropolitan police area, took place in Banstead at the Travelcare travel agents in the High Street on June 6.

Two robbers forced staff and customers into the back of the shop and demanded cash from the safe. They grabbed foreign currency and Cash2Go cards before shutting their victims into a toilet and making their escape in a silver Vauxhall Corsa.

The robbers in the latest heist at Leatherhead were described as black males in their 20s. They were wearing dark coloured hoodies, black jeans and yellow high-vis jackets. One was wearing a JD Sports carrier bag on his back.

Police are appealing for witnesses to contact Detective Constable Abby Clifford at Caterham CID on 0845 125 2222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to leave information anonymously.

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