A woman and her 10-year-old sister were forced to hand over £20 during a knifepoint robbery in North Shields.
At around 4pm on Wednesday, the police received a report of a man pulling out a knife and threatening a 20-year-old woman and her young sister on Ripley Avenue.
He demanded money and, when the older sister refused, he riffled through her handbag and made her withdraw cash from an ATM at the Post Office on nearby Chirton Front Street.
He took £20 from the girls before he made off.
The man is described as white, around 5ft 8ins, of a slim build and was wearing a dark anorak with the hood up and stone washed jeans.
Detective Chief Inspector Martin Brooks, of Northumbria Police, said: “This was a very frightening ordeal for the two young victims but they acted bravely and did the right thing by contacting the police as soon as they possibly could.
“I would like to appeal to anyone who may have information or CCTV footage of that area on Wednesday late afternoon to please come forward and contact police.
“The smallest piece of information is extremely valuable to us so please get in touch.
"We are committed to ensuring those who seek to intimidate, threaten and steal from members of our community are dealt with swiftly and robustly.”
Anyone with information or CCTV footage is asked to email the officer to call 101 or visit our website, quoting log 600 200121.
You can also contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
