Armed robbers target rural hotel
Entrance to the Hunting Lodge Hotel, Cottingham, that was robbed during the weekend.
ROBBERS in crash helmets threatened staff with screwdrivers and stole cash in a raid on a rural hotel.
The intruders targeted the Hunting Lodge, in High Street, Cottingham, at around 10pm on Sunday last week, before escaping on off-road trail bikes.
Robbers entered through the front door of the hotel, which was still open at the time, and threatened a receptionist with screwdrivers.
They then used the screwdrivers to force open tills and steal money.
No-one from the hotel wished to comment on the raid.
Insp Gary Williams, who covers the Cottingham patch, said: “Thankfully, this type of incident is rare in Corby. We are paying additional attention to licensed premises and have issued crime prevention advice about reducing the likelihood of becoming a victim.
“In recent months there have been several robberies where off-road motorcycles have been used. I would ask the public to be vigilant and report any such suspicious activity around business premises.”
It is the fifth armed robbery in the north of the county in the last three weeks, but police said people need not be alarmed.
The area CID manager Det Chief Insp Paul Spicer said: “There have been a few but there are not any links. There isn’t a gang going round committing the crimes – they seem to be different offenders with a different modus operandi. There have been quite a lot on businesses and robbery is up for the year. But businesses don’t need to feel under threat.”
DCI Spicer said businesses can take a number of easy steps to help protect themselves.
He said: “Don’t leave too much money in your till – make sure you bank it or put it in your safe. Vary your movements and don’t leave at the same time every day with cash. And try and work with another person.”
Other robberies have taken place in Corby, Wellingborough, Rushden and Kettering.
These included masked robbers armed with baseball bats ram-raiding Paragon Automotive in Corby a fortnight ago where they stole three Range Rover Sport vehicles worth around £45,000 each.
Robbers armed with a screwdriver also stole money, scratch cards and cigarettes from the Co-op in Kingsway, Wellingborough, last month.
Anyone with information about the Cottingham raid can call Northamptonshire police on its 101 hotline or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
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Monday 21 May 2012
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