Police in Belfast are appealing to the public for information following a violent robbery at an off-licence on Crumlin Road on Saturday evening, October 5. The incident occurred around 7.45pm and left staff members shaken, with one suffering a minor injury.

According to Detective Sergeant McAllister, a man dressed in black with his face partially covered entered the premises armed with a weapon. The suspect confronted a staff member behind the till, demanding money and threatening him with a knife. After forcibly opening the till and taking an undisclosed sum of cash, the robber pushed another employee and caused a small cut to a third staff member’s hand before fleeing on foot.

This would have been a terrifying ordeal,” said Detective Sergeant McAllister. Thankfully, the injuries were not serious, but the three staff members were understandably left shaken by what happened.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has launched an investigation into the armed robbery and is appealing to the local community for support. Residents in the area are being asked to review any doorbell, CCTV, or dash-cam footage that might aid the investigation.

Detective Sergeant McAllister urged anyone with information to come forward: “If you were in the area last night and noticed anything suspicious, we would ask that you call us on 101 quoting reference number 1506 05/10/24.

The police are hoping that information from the public will help identify and locate the suspect as quickly as possible.