Sales assistant tied up during shop robbery

POLICE were today hunting armed robbers in Glasgow who tied up a young sales assistant and her boyfriend in a shop before escaping in his car.

The robbers entered Zipcode, a men's clothing shop on Byres Road, Glasgow, just after the assistant's partner had arrived to help her close up for the evening yesterday.

The trio, armed with various bladed and blunt weapons, threatened the pair, tied them up and demanded money and the man's car keys.

They then left, closing the front shutter behind them, and made their getaway in his blue Honda Civic sometime after 5.30pm.

The couple managed to break free and escaped through the fire exit at the rear of the property and then shouted for help. A local resident heard their calls and contacted police.

Detectives appealed for information about the incident, which happened at around 5.15pm yesterday in the city's west end.

Detective Constable Jim Duncan said: "This was a terrifying experience for the couple, who, although both unharmed, are extremely distressed and shocked at what has happened to them.

"To be tied up by three armed men and threatened in such an aggressive and hostile manner must have been a horrific experience; something which I'm sure will take them a long time to recover from.

"We know that Byres Road would have been particularly busy at this time yesterday with commuters leaving work for the evening.

"I'm positive that someone would have seen something unwittingly that could help with our investigation."

The 22-year-old shop assistant's partner, a 23-year-old man, arrived at the store at around 5.15pm and the robbers entered a short time later.

Police said it was possible the shop was being watched before this.

Detectives believe that at least one of the men then left and returned to the shop several times during the robbery to look for the victim's car,

which has the registration BA02 LAL.

It is not known if they stole anything apart from the car.

Officers have been carrying out extensive inquiries since last night, including checking CCTV and speaking with local businesses, residents and shops in and around the area of Byres Road and Dowanside Road which faces the rear of the property.

The three suspects are all described as white and Scottish.

One was wearing a black hat, black body warmer, grey top and blue jeans, another a black bomber jacket, green hat, blue jeans, black shoes and was carrying a holdall.

The third man was wearing a grey tammy, green/grey jacket, dark trousers, a grey hooded top and white trainers.