Gang of robbers 'set off smoke bomb' while raiding convenience shop

A gang of robbers set off a “smoke bomb” while raiding a convenience store in Prestwich .

Police and fire crews were called to Zed's Convenience Store on Bury Old Road to reports of a break-in just before midnight on Thursday (February 17).

A witness described seeing four hooded men enter the building by lifting the metal shutters.

A “smoke bomb” was then allegedly set off inside the premises.

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Enquiries into the incident are currently ongoing, a spokesman for GMP said.

Joshua Morrison, who witnessed the burglary, told the Manchester Evening News the robbers fled the scene on dirt bikes.

He said: “At around 11:54 myself and two friends were driving through Bury Old Road.

“As we passed Armstrongs in Prestwich we all saw four hooded guys breaking into Zed’s Convenience Store.

“We could see they had lifted the whole front metal shutters and also set off some sort of smoke bomb within the convenient store to hide from CCTV.

“As we drove a few metres pass the scene I began to call 999 but luckily a police car drove straight by our car, so I jumped out and informed them what was going on.

“By the time they made it to the store, two dirt bikes with two lads on each bike sped off the scene of the crime one down Bury Old Road and the other down Heywood Road.

“Two fire engines arrived to the crime scene and we were thanked by the police and told we would be informed if anymore was needed.”

Anyone with information is asked to report it online or by using GMP's LiveChat service at www.gmp.police.uk .

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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