Staff at two Hampshire convenience stores were threatened with a hammer during a sequence of robberies that led to a police pursuit and five arrests. The incidents took place in the early hours of the morning and involved shops in Bishop’s Waltham and Southampton.
The first incident occurred shortly before 6.15am at the Co-op store on Bishop’s Waltham High Street. Police say a member of staff was threatened with a hammer during the robbery attempt. Nothing was reported as stolen during this incident.
Just over an hour later, at around 7.30am, a second hammer robbery took place at the One Stop store on Kendal Avenue in Southampton. As with the earlier incident, staff were threatened with a hammer. On this occasion, a large quantity of tobacco was taken from behind the counter.
Police believe the two hammer robbery Southampton shops incidents were connected. Officers identified and pursued a vehicle suspected to be linked to both robberies. The chase ended at approximately 8.45am when the vehicle was stopped on Acacia Road. A police helicopter was deployed to assist with the operation.
Following the stop, five people were arrested. A police spokesperson said: “Following a pursuit in Southampton yesterday morning, officers have arrested five people on suspicion of robbery.
“As part of this stop, we have arrested two 17-year-old boys, a 23-year-old man, a 50-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman, all from Southampton, on suspicion of robbery.
“They remain in custody at this time, while our investigation continues.”
Local representatives have responded to the hammer robbery Southampton shops incidents with concern. Councillor for Redbridge, Lee Whitebread, highlighted the impact on retail workers and the wider community. He said: “My thoughts are with the workers affected, and I hope they are receiving the support they need following what must have been a very distressing experience.
“I am grateful to Hampshire Police for their swift response and for making arrests in connection with these robberies. It is reassuring for residents and local businesses to see action taken quickly.
“As a ward councillor and a local resident, I would encourage anyone who has information or concerns to continue working with the police.
“It’s important to stress that incidents of this nature are not representative of our wider community, and we will continue to work to ensure our neighbourhood remains a safe place to live, work, and shop.”
Both retailers have confirmed their cooperation with the ongoing investigation. A One Stop spokesperson said: “We are aware of the incident that occurred at our Kendal Avenue, Southampton store on December 29.
“We are currently supporting our colleagues at this time and continuing to help the police with their enquiries. No colleagues were harmed, and the store has since re-opened.”
Southern Co-op also confirmed no staff were physically injured. A spokesperson said: “Whilst we are of course aware of the incident and can confirm that no colleagues were physically hurt, we are unable to comment further as it is an ongoing police investigation.”
