Axe man attempts to rob village post office near Market Harborough

The men wearing dark clothing and balaclavas entered the Post Office on Church Street, Billesdon, north of Market Harborough, at around 5.30pm on Monday.

The men demanded that a member of staff opened a safe.

But staff locked themselves in a back room, and the would-be robbers left the post office branch empty-handed, police believe.

The two suspects fled in a red five-door hatchback car, travelling north in the direction of the village’s Market Place.

The vehicle was later found abandoned on a small dirt track off Coplow Road, near to the Parsons Nursery.

A police statement said: “The victim was not injured during the incident and it is believed at this stage nothing was stolen.”

Leicestershire police are appealing for members of the public who may have information relating to the attempted armed robbery. They also want to speak to anyone who saw a red hatchback in the Billesdon area around the time of the incident.

Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident 18*23624.

A Post Office spokesman added: “Any robbery or attempted robbery is very traumatic for the victims. We will be supporting the police in their efforts to apprehend those responsible.”

A notice on the Post Office on Wednesday said it was temporarily shut due to unforeseen circumstances.