Dagenham shop loses nearly �1,000 in gunpoint robbery
A hooded armed robber burst into a Dagenham off-licence and held an assistant at gunpoint in a dramatic raid on Monday.
The thug entered the Fresh shop in Broad Street, at 10.35pm, held up two staff then ran off with �950 in cash, a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of vodka.
The robber, wearing a distinctive Harvard hoodie, pushed cashier Ashim Saha behind the till before pointing a shiny black pistol at his face, which can be seen in CCTV images.
Distressed shop owner Ujjwal Dey, 34, contacted the Post following the robbery.
He said: “It’s very frustrating. I don’t know what else I could do. I don’t have any choice. I have to carry on because I have invested my savings.”
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Cashier Mohamod Shafi, 28, froze as the 6ft robber pointed a gun at his 29-year-old workmate Ashim.
Mr Shafi said: “He pushed my colleague to the till and told him ‘give me the money’.”
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Ashim began to hand over cash but the robber emptied the till which contained �950. He then helped himself to a �22 bottle of vodka and cigarettes.
Police arrived at the shop minutes after the robbery but the suspect could not be found. The Met is investigating.
Mr Dey opened his shop with �50,000 savings 13 months ago. He added: “My whole savings and company shares have gone into it. Mohamod is scared. He was shaking last night.”
Last month, the Post reported how the News and Chews newsagent in Chelmer Crescent, Barking, was robbed twice in three days by thieves wielding crowbars and hammers.
The suspect in Monday’s incident is described as a stocky black male with a London accent. He was wearing grey tracksuit bottoms with zips on the pockets and a logo on the back, a dark green hooded ‘Harvard’ top, white trainers with a light green design, a black balaclava and baseball cap.
He also wore gloves that were black on the palm and red on the upper side. Call 020 8345 4226 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 with information.
