DETECTIVES are looking to identify four men are who responsible for committing two robberies in the space of minutes and within a mile of each other in Grays.
The first attack took place at Grays Convenience Store on Clarence Road at approximately 7.40pm on Saturday, December 21 a young man walked into the shop and threatened a staff member with a knife, forcing him to hand over a two-figure sum of cash in coins, a bottle of alcohol and several packets of same-brand cigarettes.
The assailant is described as white, aged in his early 20s, has short ginger hair and spoke with an Irish accent. He was wearing blue jeans, a black woolly hat. He was with an accomplice who was also ginger and much older, nearly 50.
They both walked off towards the town centre.
The second attack happened at Dhillons on the High Street when a man walked in at 7:50pm and threatened a staff member with a knife while demanding to have money.
The assailant is described as white, aged in his late teens, approximately 5ft 7ins tall, of skinny build, was wearing grey jogging bottoms and a blue coat. He may have been with an accomplice who is described as white and was wearing a light scarf and dark coat.
They both rode off on mountain bikes towards the Charcoal Grill, empty-handed.
Anyone with information in connection with these two robberies is urged to contact detectives at Grays police station on 101.