Jewellery shop staff flee unhurt after shot fired during robbery

A gang of masked men, carrying what are believed to be firearms, threatened staff after a people carrier was reversed into the window of Chacha jewellers on Great Horton Road at 11.45am yesterday.

The gang of four or five left the people carrier, which is believed to have been stolen, and fled in another waiting vehicle.

None of the staff was injured but they were left shaken after a shot was fired.

Detective Inspector Ian Bryar said: "I would appeal to anyone with any information about this incident or the suspects to contact us immediately. This was a serious crime and it is only extremely fortunate that no-one was injured when a gun was fired inside the shop."

Police were yesterday still working to establish what if anything had been stolen.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said that it was too early to say if the raid was being linked with an incident in the Barkerend area of the city on March 8 when four masked raiders reversed a stolen vehicle through the front window of the Shaandar Zewar jewellers before fleeing with jewellery.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Insp Bryar at Bradford South CID on 0845 6060606 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

n A masked man threatened staff at William Hill bookmakers in Hyde Park Road, Leeds, with a black plastic bag covering an object in his hand.

He escaped with cash, including a large amount of coins, in the direction of Alexandra Road following the incident at about 9.25pm on Saturday.

The raider is described as white, aged 18 to 24, about

5ft 10in and thin. He was wearing a light grey hoodie, black tracksuit bottoms and dark trainers.