Detectives have launched an investigation after a cash courier was robbed in Wallsend.
At around 9.25pm on Monday, police received a report that a security guard transporting cash was approached outside the Nationwide Building Society.
A man then threatened him with what appeared to be a firearm and took the cash box from the courier. The victim was not injured.
Police were immediately dispatched to the scene and carried out a search for the person responsible but at this stage nobody has been arrested.
Now detectives have appealed for help from the public to try and track down the suspect, described as white, in his 30s, wearing all black, a face mask and a woolly hat.
Detective Sergeant Sarah Souter, of Northumbria Police, said: “We are carrying out extensive enquiries to locate the suspect that includes the review of CCTV in the area.
“Those enquiries will continue but we are now asking anyone who was in the area last night to contact us if you saw anything unusual.
“You may have seen a man matching the description in the area or you may know the person who is responsible for this incident.
“We would ask that if you do have that information that you contact us immediately. Any piece of information could be crucial to our investigation.
“We will have extra patrols in the area to carry out enquiries and reassure the public and if you have any concerns then please do speak to those officers.”
Anyone who witnessed what happened, or has information that may assist police, is asked to contact police online at the Northumbria Police website quoting log 976 30/11/20.
You can also report it by calling 101 or anonymously through independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
