Horrific midnight ordeal for Cocking pub staff after robbers break in

Police are appealing for information after two members of staff at The Greyhound pub on Cocking Causeway suffered a horrific ordeal at the hands of robbers who threatened them with what looked like handguns and took a 17 year old girl hostage.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Oct 2017, 10:00 BST

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They took her to a house in Midhurst where the owners were also threatened with the handguns before the robbers made off with thousands of pounds in cash.

A police spokesman said just before midnight on Tuesday, September 12, two men forced their way into the Greyhound pub which had closed for the evening.

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They threatened two members of staff - a 26 year old man and a 17 year old girl, with ‘what appeared to be two handguns’.

“They tied the man up,” added the spokesman, “and took the woman to a private address in Midhurst, where they confronted the married couple living there.”

The couple, a man aged 47 and a woman aged 64 were threatened by the robbers with the same weapons, said the police spokesman.

They were tied up, before the robbers stole several thousand pounds in cash as well as some gold coins.

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“The men then left a short while later, having untied the victims, who then made their way to the pub to free the man left there.”

The police said the four victims had been left ‘badly shaken’ but not physically injured.

Police have released descriptions of the two men they are looking for. Both suspects are described as white.

One was about 5’11” and slim, wearing a khaki coloured tracksuit and a jacket over the top, together with a bandana with a distinctive pattern which was white against a dark background.

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He was also wearing a dark coloured Nike cap and black leather type gloves.

Police say the other one was in his late twenties, wearing a green coloured tracksuit and a patterned bandana. He was also wearing black leather type gloves.

“We are currently investigating and no arrest has been made at this stage,” the spokesman said.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Sussex Police online here or via 101, quoting serial 1147 of 12/09. They can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 (www.crimestoppers-uk.org)

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