AN ARMED robber jumped over a takeaway counter and held a gun to a cashier's head before fleeing with £1,000.

Just days after the new Pizza Hut branch opened in Lancing terrified staff were confronted by two masked raiders before one jumped across to them and pulled out the gun, ordering a cashier to open the till.

The raid on the takeaway in North Road on Sunday (Sep 18) is being linked to eighth other heists in the Worthing and Lancing area and shopkeepers told The Argus they were now living in fear that they would be next, calling on officers to step up patrols.

Gulam Ambia, manager of the Naaz indian takeaway in North Road, told The Argus: "It's just shocking isn't it. The police should patrol the high street more because of this. They need to step it up."

Yasmin Chan, owner of Taylor's Fish Bar a few doors the other way, added: "It's so scary - Pizza Hut just opened a week ago. It worries us because we are running a small business."

Officers were alerted to the incident just after 9pm when the offenders got away with about £900 in notes and £100 in coins, which they carried off in a plain white plastic tub.

They fled in the direction of Penstone Park, and are believed to have got into a light blue Ford, possibly a Focus or a Fiesta.

The man who stayed on the customer side of the counter in Pizza Hut wore a dark hoody and khaki bottoms. The man who jumped over the counter wore a dark blue hoody and dark tracksuit bottoms. Both suspects had their hoods up, faces covered, wore gloves and had some sort of covering over their shoes.

Detective Sergeant Simon Dunn said: "We are treating this incident extremely seriously.

"Thankfully no one was harmed, however the staff members were understandably very shocked and upset."

The robbery follows a similar raid at an Uncle Sam's burger bar just 500m away in Crabtree Lane last Wednesday.

That incident took place at 11.20pm and the robber again pointed a gun at staff. He threatened them and they handed over £50. He escaped through the back door.

Before this, the sixth linked incident saw a man rob a Spar in Heene Road, Worthing, on August 29.

He was caught on CCTV (pictured) and police hope this will help track down the man or men at large.

DS Dunn added: "The circumstances [in the Pizza Hut case] are strikingly similar to a series of previous armed robberies in the area, and we believe this may be linked to them.

"We're carrying out extensive enquiries to try to locate the suspects, and I would urge anyone who has any information to contact us."

Email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101, quoting Operation Zinger.

Alternatively, call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

SHOPKEEPERS IN FEAR DESPITE INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE

AFTER eight robberies in six weeks, shopkeepers and takeaway owners in the area of North Road in Lancing are understandably nervous.

The armed robbers who keep striking again and again are targeting the area. Fast food and restaurant workers fear they could be next.

When The Argus spoke to businesses yesterday they were hoping an increased police presence could protect them but want to see more officers.

The Pizza Hut robbery on Sunday is just the latest in a string of eight linked incidents.

Gulam Ambia, manager of the Naaz Indian takeaway in the same road, told The Argus the Pizza Hut raid was a worry.

He said: “It’s shocking isn’t it. It’s not nice – you don’t want to experience anything like that ever.

“If someone comes in with a gun you have no choice. If it happened to us we would try to keep as calm as possible and call the police.

“We have never been involved in something like this ourselves. We hope it doesn’t go on. It’s a worry.

“I think they should put more police in Lancing because there’s hardly any police around. They should patrol the high street more and step it up.”

Yasmin Chan, who owns Taylor’s Fish Bar, also in North Road, said: “It’s very scary for us because we are running a small business.

“It’s getting worse and worse. I just can’t believe it.”

She echoed Mr Ambia’s call for more patrols until those responsible were caught and said it was “very bad news for Lancing”.

A worker at the Premier convenience store added that customers had been commenting on the recent raid and said how scared some of them were.

He said: “Last week we had Uncle Sam’s and now this.

“It’s too much.”

However, following the next most recent robbery at an Uncle Sam’s burger bar about 500m up the road last Wednesday, others felt comforted by a police presence.

Lance Slaughter, who runs a barber’s shop next door to Uncle Sam’s, said he felt reassured by seeing police.

Neighbours said they were concerned by such violent crime in a quiet area.

CATALOGUE OF CRIMES

1 Orme Road, Worthing, August 8: Taxi driver threatened with a knife

2 Mini Market, Seadown Parade, Sompting, August 13: A man with a gun demanded cash and cigarettes at 10.15pm

3 Ladbrokes, Rowlands Road, Worthing, August 18: At 8pm a man pointed a black handgun at staff and got away with £70

4 Railway Approach, Worthing, August 20: Two people approached by a man who demanded money, threatening them with a knife

5 The Broadway News and Gifts, A259 Brighton Road near The Steyne, Worthing, August 22: Early-morning raid sees man with handgun grab cash float at 5.30am but he drops it and flees

6 Spar, Heene Road, Worthing, August 29: A man threatened staff with a gun, grabbing £200

7 Uncle Sam’s, Crabtree Lane, Lancing, September 14: A man pointed a gun at staff and took £50 before fleeing at 11.15pm

8 Pizza Hut, North Road, Lancing, September 18: In what is believed to be the biggest haul yet, two robbers came in at 9pm and held a gun to a cashier’s head before taking £1,000 .

WHAT WE KNOW

THE Pizza Hut robber, who had an accomplice, was wearing a dark blue hoody and dark tracksuit bottoms with his face covered.

The robber involved in the Uncle Sam’s job was described as white, 5ft 8in, and wearing a blue jumper and a grey hooded top.

A 22-year-old man from Lancing was arrested on suspicion of robbery for the Sompting and Ladbrokes crimes on August 13 and 18.

A 26-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of robbery for the incident in Sompting. They are both on bail until September 29.