A THIEF snatched money from a shop till and escaped again in less than a minute.

As reported in the late edition of yesterday's Advertiser, a person struck at the Handyman store in Whitehouse Road, Ferndale, on Saturday evening, leaving 58-year-old proprietor Machinder Rehnsi shocked and amazed.

About £70 was taken.

"I try not to keep too much money in the till," said Mr Rehnsi, "I had just taken some money out and I was sat behind the counter reading the newspaper when I saw this person walk in.

"He walked straight up to the till, opened it, grabbed the money and walked straight back out in less an a minute, probably half a minute.

"I was amazed this person could do it so fast.

"I rang the police who got here quickly.

"I was shocked, but not because of what happened but because this person was so quick.

"I have never seen anything like it in all my 16 years at this shop."

The shop is open from 9am to 10pm from Monday to Saturday. Mr Rehnsi's wife covers the morning and afternoons and he is on duty in the evenings.

"I didn't recognise this person at all," he said. "They did not say anything and it's difficult to say if it was a man or woman because they were wearing a hoodie.

"I have a lot of regular customers, and most are very trustworthy, but this is the first time anything like this has happened."

The thief was white, stocky, about 5ft 8in, and wore an olive-coloured hooded top and an olive-coloured scarf, which was wrapped around his face.

The offender ran off up Ferndale Road towards North Star Avenue where it's thought the thief met up with a group.

Police are now urging witnesses to come forward.

They can call PC Paul Bezzant on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.