A £50,000 REWARD has been offered in a bid to catch a gang of bank robbers.
The significant reward gives an indication as to the amount of money stolen from the HSBC bank on High Street, Rishton, last month.
Detective Inspector Mark Gillibrand said: "The reward reflects the amount stolen.
"It’s quite a big reward so it’s a substantial amount of cash which has been stolen.
"At the time a G4S van had just made a delivery. The thieves waited for the delivery to be taken into the bank before going in an committing the robbery.
"There were customers in the bank at the time and the robbers demanded money and frightened the staff into submission.
"After the robbery, the van driver was alerted to the crime and witnesses alerted the police."
The raid happened on 27 February at around 1.30pm when armed robbers wearing balaclavas escaped with a ‘substantial amount’ of cash after smashing their way into the branch through the roof.
A burnt-out Mercedes A-Class vehicle was found near Rishton Cricket Club on Blackburn Road.
No none was injured, but staff were left shaken and extremely traumatised.
Police said the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) had put up the money due to a number of similar raids across the North West. It is double the amount the BBA, the leading association for the UK banking and financial services sector, typically puts up.
Police are still reviewing CCTV footage of the raid and are awaiting forensic results.
DI Gillibrand added: "It’s going to be an extensive and resource intensive enquiry.
"We are hoping that the big reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the thieves will go a long way in helping us catch the people that committed the crime."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Accrington CID on 01254 353 743 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
