A MASKED group are reported to have entered a supermarket with a crowbar, knife, and baseball bat before taking thousands of pounds worth of goods.

At around 9.34pm on Tuesday 23 January, Greater Manchester Police were called to reports of a business robbery at the Bolton Road ASDA in Atherton. 

Initial enquiries suggest that four males wearing balaclavas and gloves entered the store in possession of a crowbar, knife and baseball bat where they threatened staff to 'get down'.

The store was in operation at the time and police say that the offenders emptied the tills and "stole between £200-£400 in cash and up to £10,000 in cigarettes and tobacco".

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The masked group are alleged to have also attempted to take money from the self-service machines but were unsuccessful.

The four males tare reported to have left the store with a large builder’s rubble sack full of stolen goods, before the emergency services attended the scene.

The offenders are reported to have fled the scene in a Silver Land Rover discovery with the registration plate BN0 8ACF, which is reported to have been a false registration.

This vehicle was later reported to have been burnt out on Robert Street in Atherton, a short distance from the store before they were believed to get into another vehicle.

No injuries have been reported from the shocking incident, and officers are now appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident, the vehicle driving into or out of the store, or the vehicle or offenders in the Atherton area.

Anytone with CCTV or dashcam footage in the nearby area can also help to assist police with their investigation, with information to be shared by calling 101 quoting log 3447 of 23/01/2024.

You can also report information to GMP's website using the ‘report’ tool herehttp://www.gmp.police.uk.