9:44am Monday 22nd March 2010
By Ben Parsons, Crime Reporter
UPDATE: The hunt for raiders who held up a security van at gunpoint at a Chichester Tesco ended inside a school at Findon Valley, Worthing.
Two men were arrested at Vale First and Middle School in Vale Avenue this morning after an armed raid and a chase along the A27 in which a police car was rammed.
Staff at the school said all the children were safe after the police operation.
Police said they kept the pupils indoors while they checked the school but there was no evidence of any other suspects being involved.
Chief Inspector James Asser, commander of Sussex Police's Worthing and Adur district, said: "We are reassuring staff, pupils and parents that the area has quickly been made safe and no children were endangered during the search.
"We have just finished checking the school and grounds in case there was a third suspect and children were kept secure at the school whilst that was done."
The raid took place at the Tesco superstore in Fishbourne Road East at about 8.10am.
Two G4S security guards said they were threatened by two men carrying handguns, who stole a cashbox containing more than £10,000.
No shots were fired and no-one was injured.
The suspects left in a Mercedes 4x4, which was found burned out nearby shortly afterwards.
Police followed a silver Saab on the A27, which rammed a police car near Arundel before driving off.
The car was found abandoned off Mill Lane in High Salvington.
Police said they found handguns and cash in the car.
The suspects ran into the school grounds and into the school building itself.
Police went into the building and arrested two men on suspicion of robbery.
A police spokesman said there was no violence during the arrests.
Cash was also recovered in the school.
Two men aged 30 and 31 were arrested on suspicion of robbery and are being questioned in custody this afternoon.
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "We would like to hear from anybody who was in Tesco and saw two men lurking or loitering by the cashpoints, or running off afterwards into a Mercedes parked nearby."
Anyone with information is asked to call Sussex Police on 0845 6070999 quoting serial 174 of March 22 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.theargus.co.uk/trade_directory/