Police tell off-licences: staff must not work on their own

DETECTIVES today warned staff at city off-licences not to work alone while the hunt continues for an armed robber suspected of holding up three shops at gunpoint during the last two weeks.

Officers also appealed to members of the public who see anyone acting suspiciously outside off-licences in the Capital to call police in a bid to help catch the masked robber.

Police say they are keeping an "open-mind" on whether the same man is behind all three raids.

The latest incident saw the Spirited Wine store in North West Circus Place, Stockbridge, targeted at around 8pm on Monday. A 27-year-old woman was working alone in the shop when a man came in brandishing a handgun before demanding she lie on the shop floor while he fled with the cash.

The incident follows armed robberies at Appellation Wines in Dalry Road on June 2, and at Meadows Wine in Melville Terrace the following night.

In all three robberies, a masked man targeted a woman working alone at an off-licence between 8pm and 9pm.

Will Laurie, 27, assistant manager at Spirited Wine, said his colleague had been left badly shaken following her ordeal. He said: "She was sorting out prices on Champagne bottles when this man came in wearing some kind of balaclava covering his face. He was waving a black pistol and demanded all the money. As well as the gun, he had a large knife tucked into his trousers.

"He also wanted the change bag kept under the till so that suggests he may have been watching for a while.

"As he was leaving with the money, he told her to lie on the floor until he was gone."

The suspect is described as white, 5ft 7in tall with a slim build. He was wearing a black balaclava with a black hooded top also over his head, blue jeans, white trainers and a dark-coloured rucksack, and spoke with an English accent. After making off with a three-figure sum of cash, the suspect headed towards Stockbridge and the Water of Leith.

Detective Constable Gavin Watson, who is investigating the robbery at Spirited Wines, said: "This was a harrowing experience for the shop assistant who has been left shaken.

"There are similarities between the three robberies, but we are keeping an open mind as to whether they are linked.

"We are giving advice to off-licences to look at procedures in terms of when staff work on their own and measures such as getting CCTV.

"We would also ask members of the public who see anyone acting suspiciously beside an off-licence to contact police."

DC Watson added: "It was a pleasant evening on Monday so there would have been plenty of people in the area around Spirited Wines."We are looking for anyone who witnessed anything suspicious to come forward."

A female shop assistant was working alone at the Appellation Wines store when a man, who was wearing a balaclava and a black raincoat, came in and pointed the gun at her.

The robber shouted "Give me notes, give me notes" and the terrified victim handed over a three-figure sum before he fled into the street.

A day later a masked man threatened the owner of Meadows Wine before escaping with hundreds of pounds. It was the second armed robbery to take place in the off-licence this year, with thieves stealing more that 100 in January.