jennysimpson@lep.co.uk
DETECTIVES hunting the masked men who held up a Preston bank have released images of two vehicles believed to have been involved in the raid.
Two men, armed with a handgun and sledgehammer, entered the HSBC on Garstang Ro
ad, Fulwood, and demanded cash at 4.30pm on Thursday.
One struck a manager on the head before the pair fled through a back door with a substantial amount of money.
They are believed to have escaped through gardens and on to Marina Drive.
Police have seized a blue Ford Transit Connect, with registration number MF03 NWN, at the HSBC car park, which the suspects are believed to have arrived in.
They are also carrying out forensic examinations on a red Citroen C4, reg EF05 ODS, found abandoned on Tower Lane.
The car had been stolen in Manchester.
Det Insp Ian Dawson of Preston CID said: “We suspect it may have some involvement in the offence.
“I am particularly keen to speak to a driver who passed the red Citroen C4 whilst it was driving down Tower Lane.
“It is also possible that people might have witnessed someone acting suspiciously around the bank in the days or weeks leading up to the robbery and I would also be keen to speak to them.”
A man and a woman customer were in the HSBC at the time but they were in a side room when the robbers came in.
Police are examining CCTV from the bank and carrying out door-to-door enquiries in the area, which was busy with rush-hour traffic at the time of the raid.
The first suspect is 5ft 6in and stocky. His accomplice was around 5ft 8in and slimmer.
They both dressed all in black and wore ski jackets and balaclavas. It is not known if the gun brandished was real or imititation.
Det Insp Dawson said police were not currently linking the Fulwood robbery to a ram-raid on HSBC in Longton the same day.
l Anyone with any information should contact Preston Police on 01772 203203 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
