DETECTIVES hunting robbers who threatened a security guard with a shotgun before making off in a blue van have recovered the vehicle and are appealing to the public for information about it.

Roddy Ashworth

DETECTIVES hunting robbers who threatened a security guard with a shotgun before making off in a blue van have recovered the vehicle and are appealing to the public for information about it.

Two men demanded cash from the G4S security guard as he walked towards the HSBC bank in Station Road, Clacton, at about 10.30am on Tuesday.

The security guard was forced to hand over a substantial amount of money to the suspects who then made off in a blue Ford Transit which was driven by a third man.

The blue Ford Transit van, with the registration number W244SBM, was found abandoned in Northbourne Road, Clacton, about 10 minutes after the raid.

Police know that the van was registered to someone in West Essex and the van is believed to have been driven in the Dunmow and Stansted areas and there is a possibility the vehicle may have links with the Waltham Cross area.

The van is quite distinctive as it has a darker blue patch on the bonnet, black painted wheel arches and there is a cover behind the seats partitioning off the cargo area.

The two suspects who approached the security guards were both white. One was aged 30 to 40 years, of stocky build, 5ft 9ins to 5ft 10ins tall, wearing a dark grey woollen hat, a royal blue waist length jacket, faded blue denim jeans and an army green hessian satchel style bag.

The other man was described as 5ft 8ins to 5ft 9ins tall, and was wearing a dark woollen hat, dark or black waist length jacket - possibly leather - and light coloured jeans.

Police would particularly like to hear from anyone who has any knowledge of this van and its movements in the last month to contact them at Clacton CID on 0300 333 4444 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.