Police try to reassure town after Littlehampton robbery

On Saturday evening, a ‘very skinny’ man carrying a Lidl shopping bag and wielding a knife robbed the Cuff Miller garage, in Horsham Road.

The crime took place at 7.30pm with the suspect – who was wearing dark grey jeans, hoody, spectacles and a scarf around his face – threatening a female cashier with the blade shortly before 7.30pm.

It comes after a similar attack at the garage, on March 16, where a robber made off with £400 prompting safety fears from locals.

Responding to this weekend’s crime, Inspector Marc Clothier said: “This type of incident is rare in Arun but one we take extremely seriously.

“I would like to reassure the community that we are doing all we can to investigate and bring any offenders to justice.”

A police source said that detectives were ‘not ruling out the possibility that the crimes were linked’, with Insp Clothier adding that officers were ‘following lines of inquiry’.

The robber stole about £200 in cash before fleeing the garage on foot.

The suspect is described as white, 6ft tall and very skinny.

A spokesman added that the attacker ‘spoke with what sounded like an east European accent’.

No-one was injured during the attack, the spokesman added.

Witnesses are now being urged to contact police, by emailing [email protected] or calling 101, quoting serial 1428 of 18/4.

Alternatively, they can call independent charity Crimestoppers, anonym-ously, on 0800 555 111.

March’s robbery had prompted fears from Littlehampton east county councillor Dr James Walsh over the future of the town’s frontline policing.

It came as the force announced plans to axe 1,000 jobs by 2020.