Increased security at Corby Co-op stores after spate of armed robberies

The joint working initiative will see increased security measures in-store, which include full CCTV coverage, more security guards and reduced incident response times - particularly in the Northampton and Corby areas.

Matt Birch, trading executive at Central England Co-op, said his stores have stringent cash controls in place so thieves get away with little to no cash at all.

He said: “As there are no large amounts of cash on site, a would-be criminal could be looking at up to 10 years in prison for each incident of armed robbery.

“Ask yourself the question, is the risk worth the reward?

“The answer from our point of view is no.

“These criminals are getting away with less than £200 per robbery, which could see them in prison for up to 10 years.”

Detective Chief Inspector at Northamptonshire Police Paul Rymarz said: “Northamptonshire Police is committed to protecting people from harm and this involves ensuring that those people who work in convenience stores across Northamptonshire feel safe at work.

“We have made a number of arrests recently in relation to robberies at convenience stores across the county and will continue to work hard to ensure people who rob convenience stores are brought to justice.”