Armed robberies at two nearby Leeds c-stores in one night

Two convenience stores, a short distance apart, in east Leeds were robbed on Wednesday (29) in the space of an hour.

According to local reports, Co-op store on Selby Road in Whitkirk and the Best One on Stanks Parade in Stanks - which are less than three miles from each other- were robbed during evening hours of Wednesday.

The Co-op was targeted at 6.50pm on Wednesday evening (December 29) when three masked men armed with machetes threatened staff and stole cash from the tills as well as cigarettes, said the reports, adding that the suspects left the scene in a car.

As a result of enquiries, a 23-year-old man was arrested a day later on suspicion of robbery. He remains in custody, West Yorkshire Police said, releasing an appeal for information.

The other incident happened at 7:43 pm when two men arrived at the Best One store on a silver motorbike with their faces covered. One was armed with a handgun, which was thought to be a replica, and the other suspect had a knife. They also threatened staff and stole cash and a quantity of cigarettes and tobacco before leaving the scene on the motorbike along Stanks Approach, said the local reports.

Although the two incidents happened within a span of one hour and within a couple of miles of each other, the police have yet not linked the two robberies.