Knife-wielding thieves beat and rob security van driver in Eastbourne (From The Argus)

Knife-wielding thieves beat and rob security van driver in Eastbourne

12:01pm Wednesday 26th September 2012 in News

Two robbers wielding a knife and a baseball bat beat up a security van driver and ran off with £4000 in cash.

The attack happened on the Hawthorn Road industrial estate in Eastbourne, outside the Tile Centre and Topps Tiles, just off Lottbridge Drove,at 1.30pm on Tuesday 25 September.

The security van driver had just collected a box full of cash from the Tile Centre when he was attacked by the two men, who chased him back into the store.

After hitting him with a baseball bat and attempting to stab him a knife, the thieves took the box and made off in a grey Audi A3 saloon towards Lottbridge Drive.

The car was aring the index GV61MBF but these are known to be false plates copied from a local Audi.

The 58-year old security van driver was bruised and grazed and was treated at Eastbourne District General Hospital but was not seriously injured.

Later during the afternoon the box was found abandoned in a garden in St Anthony's Avenue, Eastbourne. The cash had been removed.

The suspects are both described as white. One is about 6'2", aged about 30, with short dark hair. The second man was shorter, about 5'2", stocky and muscular in build.

Detective Inspector Ian Williams said; "Anyone who was in the area of the Hawthorn Road industrial estate at around lunchtime on Tuesday, and saw these two men, or saw the car being driven erratically at speed away from Lottbridge Drove into St Anthony's Avenue, where they discarded the box, or has any other information that could assist, including where the car went then, we ask them to call us via 101 quoting Operation Firm.

"You can also call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111."