Bosses urged to provide security for staff after raids at Sheffield shop

She contacted McColl’s bosses after the firm’s store on Lowedges Road, Lowedges, was raided on Monday night.

A man armed with a knife threatened staff with the blade while demanding cash, before escaping with a ‘lottery box’.

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A 28-year-old man has been charged over the incident and is due before Sheffield magistrates today.

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One woman concerned about the safety of staff contacted McColl’s to call for extra security.

In a her message to the firm, she said: “Following yet another robbery at the Lowedges Road shop, I think that it’s time that you put your staff first and have security on for their own safety.

“I have been living in Lowedges for just under two years and I can tell you that the shop has been robbed at least five times.

“The staff there are a great bunch of people. The staff there should be able to work without fear for their safety.”

In response, McColl’s said: “We have contacted the area manager and fed this back to them.

“We take matters like this very seriously and appreciate your message.”

In September 2017, staff were threatened at knifepoint during a raid in which cash was stolen.

In March, Joshua Baxter, 23, of no fixed abode, was jailed for four years after an armed robbery at the store in December 2018.

He was one of three masked men, armed with knives, who threatened staff before stealing cash and cigarettes.

South Yorkshire Police said: “Our officers are aware of concerns within the local community about incidents at this location.

“We have dispatched additional resources to the area and our officers are carrying out increased patrols to provide reassurance to the local community.

“We take all reports of crime, and concerns from the communities we serve seriously, and we would encourage anyone who has any concerns or information about crime in the area to get in touch by calling 101.”