TWO thieves wearing balaclavas stole cash and cigarettes during a robbery at a convenience store.

A suspect has since been arrested after being stopped by police on the motorway between Warrington and St Helens.

At 9.50pm yesterday, Sunday, Cheshire Police was called to reports of a robbery at the Co-op store on Hale Road in Widnes.

It was reported that two unknown suspects wearing balaclavas had entered the store and stolen a quantity of cash and cigarettes from behind the tills.

It is believed that a third suspect was also waiting outside the store wearing a balaclava, and the suspects made away from the scene on foot in the direction of Baguley Avenue.

A suspicious vehicle, a Mercedes G-Wagon, was spotted at around this time in the area and was subsequently stopped by police near to junction eight of the M62 for Burtonwood.

The driver, a 30-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of robbery, and he remains in police custody at this time.

Cheshire Police says it is appealing for any witnesses to get in touch.

DS Christopher Sheffield said: “Staff would understandably have been alarmed at this incident, and we would like to reassure the community that we have arrested one individual.

“We believe there were further suspects involved, and we are doing everything we can to trace them.

“We would like to appeal to anyone who witnessed what happened to get in touch with us.

“We would also like to ask anyone who saw anything suspicious, either before or after the incident took place, or anyone with any relevant CCTV, dashcam or video doorbell footage, to contact us.”

You can report information to Cheshire Police by calling 101, quoting IML-1965106 or visiting cheshire.police.uk/tell-us