Two men threatened a man with a knife and stole the money he had just been issued at a York city centre cashpoint.
The robbery happened on Goodramgate in broad daylight at around 6.10pm on Wednesday (August 10). It took place near the York Roast Co, close to the junction with Low Petergate.
The victim, a 59-year-old man, had just used the cash machine at Tesco Express on Goodramgate. He was walking along the street when he felt an arm around his shoulder and a man ushering him towards a wall.
At the same time a second man, who was holding a knife, stood in front of him blocking his path.
The two men spoke with a foreign accent, and the man with his arm around the victim has gestured to him to give him the money. The victim was also threatened by the men.
During the incident, the men were all smiles as if to give the impression that they were friends having a chat.
The victim, fearing for his safety, handed over the money that he had just withdrawn. The suspects then thanked him before leaving the area. The whole incident happened very quickly.
The victim was physically unharmed, but very shaken up by the incident.
Have you seen them?
Suspect 1 is…
| about 5ft 11in tall | |
| of stocky but toned build | |
| aged between 26 to 30 years old | |
| unshaven, with black hair | |
| has brown eyes and olive skin | |
| spoke with a foreign accent | |
| and was of eastern European appearance. |
He was wearing
| a tight gym top | |
| black jogging trousers | |
| and trainers |
Suspect 2 is…
| about 5ft 11in tall | |
| with an olive complexion | |
| of smaller build to the first man, but still toned | |
| aged between 24 to 26 |
He was
| dressed in a similar way to the first suspect. |
There is potentially a third suspect involved in the incident who spoke to the victim afterwards. He had a similar appearance to the first two.
Police warning
Police are advising members of the public to be vigilant when they are using cash machines.
They also appealed to anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information about the suspects to contact them.
Detective Constable Robert Brook of York Serious Crime Team said:
It’s possible that people saw the men, but due to their “friendly” approach, and the speed with which the incident happened, passers-by may not have been aware of what was happening.
I am appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and saw anyone matching the men’s description, or who believe they witnessed the incident, to please contact the police.
It’s possible that the men were hanging around in the area of the cash machine, waiting for a suitable victim to approach.
In the meantime, I urge anyone using cash machines to be vigilant, be aware of who is standing around or watching you as you use the machine.
If in doubt, move to another location and report any suspicious people to the police.
Anyone who can help police is asked to contact them. Details below.
How to help the police
| Call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for York Serious Crime Team | |
| Or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 |
| Email the Serious Crime Team here | |
| Quote reference number 12160143873 |