ianstone
05-12-2010, 10:13 AM
The 'Burka Bandit' strikes again: Knifeman raids third travel agent in less than a year
By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 12:43 PM on 12th May 2010
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A knifeman who disguises himself in a Muslim burka has raided his third travel agent in less than a year.
The raider, dubbed the 'Burka Bandit', walked into the travel agency and pulled out a knife before threatening to stab a customer and two staff members.
He demanded a bag be filled with cash before rushing out of the shop Thomson Travel store in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, and speeding off in a car.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/05/12/article-0-0989BFFF000005DC-600_468x392.jpg The thief dubbed the 'Burka Bandit' was caught on this CCTV film in August 2009 as he robbed Thomson Travel in Luton, Bedfordshire
The crook, who struck on Saturday morning and is believed to be mixed race, was wearing a black burka with a silver or grey floral design pattern on one half of the garment, and black plimsolls.
The raid comes less than a year after a man dressed in the traditional Muslim garment walked into First Choice Travel in Dunstable at around 10.15am on July 7.
He threatened two female members of staff with a knife before taking cash and escaping through the back door.
The same technique was used at the Thomson travel shop in Luton on August 16, when a burka-clad man escaped through the front door at around 11am with a ‘large amount of cash’.
A spokeswoman for Bedfordshire Police said that the perpetrators of the previous attacks had not been caught.
She added: ‘Police are keeping an open mind as to whether these incidents are linked and the investigating officer will continue with the previous cases.’
DC Gill Cowley, investigating, is keen to speak to anyone who saw the man entering the shop, making off or getting into a vehicle.
She said: ‘This was an extremely frightening incident for the staff and customer in the shop.
‘However, they did exactly the right thing by remaining calm and not provoking the offender.
‘His disguise was so distinctive we are hoping someone recalls seeing him, or even knows who he is.
‘We would also appeal to anyone who has sold a burka to a man fitting this description, or is missing one, to get in touch.’
Another robbery occurred last August by a man wearing the robe, with two accomplices, who took a whopping £150,000 worth of watches from a jewellers in Banbury, Oxon.
They burst into Michael Jones Jewellers at 2.20pm and threatened staff with a handgun and axe and escaped in a black Audi Estate with a haul of Rolex, Cartier and Breitling watches.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1277786/The-Burka-Bandit-strikes-Knifeman-raids-travel-agent-year.html#ixzz0niyhXxfs (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1277786/The-Burka-Bandit-strikes-Knifeman-raids-travel-agent-year.html#ixzz0niyhXxfs)
Maybe we should call him the illusive pimpernel
By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 12:43 PM on 12th May 2010
Comments (0) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1277786/The-Burka-Bandit-strikes-Knifeman-raids-travel-agent-year.html#comments)
Add to My Stories (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1277786/The-Burka-Bandit-strikes-Knifeman-raids-travel-agent-year.html)
A knifeman who disguises himself in a Muslim burka has raided his third travel agent in less than a year.
The raider, dubbed the 'Burka Bandit', walked into the travel agency and pulled out a knife before threatening to stab a customer and two staff members.
He demanded a bag be filled with cash before rushing out of the shop Thomson Travel store in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, and speeding off in a car.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/05/12/article-0-0989BFFF000005DC-600_468x392.jpg The thief dubbed the 'Burka Bandit' was caught on this CCTV film in August 2009 as he robbed Thomson Travel in Luton, Bedfordshire
The crook, who struck on Saturday morning and is believed to be mixed race, was wearing a black burka with a silver or grey floral design pattern on one half of the garment, and black plimsolls.
The raid comes less than a year after a man dressed in the traditional Muslim garment walked into First Choice Travel in Dunstable at around 10.15am on July 7.
He threatened two female members of staff with a knife before taking cash and escaping through the back door.
The same technique was used at the Thomson travel shop in Luton on August 16, when a burka-clad man escaped through the front door at around 11am with a ‘large amount of cash’.
A spokeswoman for Bedfordshire Police said that the perpetrators of the previous attacks had not been caught.
She added: ‘Police are keeping an open mind as to whether these incidents are linked and the investigating officer will continue with the previous cases.’
DC Gill Cowley, investigating, is keen to speak to anyone who saw the man entering the shop, making off or getting into a vehicle.
She said: ‘This was an extremely frightening incident for the staff and customer in the shop.
‘However, they did exactly the right thing by remaining calm and not provoking the offender.
‘His disguise was so distinctive we are hoping someone recalls seeing him, or even knows who he is.
‘We would also appeal to anyone who has sold a burka to a man fitting this description, or is missing one, to get in touch.’
Another robbery occurred last August by a man wearing the robe, with two accomplices, who took a whopping £150,000 worth of watches from a jewellers in Banbury, Oxon.
They burst into Michael Jones Jewellers at 2.20pm and threatened staff with a handgun and axe and escaped in a black Audi Estate with a haul of Rolex, Cartier and Breitling watches.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1277786/The-Burka-Bandit-strikes-Knifeman-raids-travel-agent-year.html#ixzz0niyhXxfs (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1277786/The-Burka-Bandit-strikes-Knifeman-raids-travel-agent-year.html#ixzz0niyhXxfs)
Maybe we should call him the illusive pimpernel