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Security van robbed outside Thames Ditton bank
4:20pm Friday 23rd October 2009
A security van loading money into an HSBC cashpoint in Thames Ditton has been robbed this afternoon, according to witnesses.
An employee of Group 4 Securicor (G4S) parked the van outside the bank, on the corner of St Leonards Road at about 1.45pm and was loading money into the cashpoint when he was approached by two young men, one of whom karate chopped him on the neck, a witness said.
The two men then ran off with two canvas bags.
Witnesses said the security man gave chase to the men, but he did not manage to catch them.
Officers from Surrey Police arrived about five minutes later, by which time the men had escaped.
A woman who works in nearby Thames Off Licence, but did not want to be named, said: "I heard there were three young men in total, two who came out of a silver BMW.
"I spoke to [the van driver] after the incident and he said one of the men hit him on the back of the neck. He said he was not scared, just very angry.
"I was told the police arrived too late. The young men ran off up Kings Drive, and by the time the police got here, they were gone.”
Officers from four police cars took statements from the van driver and members of the public at the scene, following the incident.
A man who works in a shop opposite the bank said he had seen two young white men acting suspiciously just prior to the robbery.
He said: "I saw two rude boys who were walking down the road before the incident. They looked a bit shifty, I think it must have been them. They were wearing caps and tracksuits.
"During the robbery, there was a lot of shouting and screaming as the guys ran off. The guard was shouting and swearing at the guys: ‘Come back here’.
"It was all over in about 30 seconds, but the driver seemed really angry.
"He smashed his phone up and kicked the fence."
A witness who saw the incident from the back of Bachmanns Patisserie where he works, said he had seen the young men "grab a couple of canvas bags and run".
A spokesperson on the scene for G4S, who claim they have an "100 per cent conviction rate" on robberies, said the company did not want to comment on the incident.
Surrey Police confirmed they had attended the incident and were still looking for two white males in their late teens or early twenties.
A spokesman for the police said: "The suspects took a cash case believed to contain a significant amount of money as the security guard was entering the building.
"The member of security staff was not injured during the incident and at this stage there is no suggestion any weapons were used in the robbery.
"At this early stage in the investigation police are still in the process of carrying out an extensive search of the local area and are speaking to a number of witnesses."
Detectives at Staines CID are urging anyone who witnessed the incident or with any information to contact Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222, quoting reference P09339822, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Security van robbed outside Thames Ditton bank
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