ARMED raiders who struck three times in the space of three hours are being hunted by Huddersfield police.
The pair – one armed with a gun and the other with a knife – threatened staff in two business premises but were foiled in the third attempt.
One raid was in Denby Dale, a second in Scissett and the third in Sowerby Bridge.
The pair are still at large after the weekend raids and police have appealed for help in tracking them down.
Det Con Russ Conlon, of Huddersfield CID, said: “They left staff very frightened.
“One lady had a gun held to her head, while a second was threatened with a knife, and it is vital we trace them”.
All the robberies took place on Saturday but details were released only yesterday.
The first incident was at Smith’s betting office in Wakefield Road, Scissett, at 5.30pm.
The owner had just locked the door when he noticed two men in a black Citroen C4 car.
One was pulling a ski mask over his face and jumped from the car. He ran to the betting office but could not get in and ran back to the Citroen which drove off.
An hour later, the same pair walked into the Londis supermarket in Wakefield Road, Denby Dale.
Two women behind a counter were attacked. The gunman pointed a handgun at the head of one assistant, while the second was threatened with a 12-inch breadknife.
The robbers fled with cash from the till after pushing the assistants into a back room.
The third raid happened at 8.15pm in Sowerby Bridge. An assistant working in the betting office was threatened with a gun and cash stolen.
Police are hunting a black man, between 5ft 9in and 6 feet tall, with a black hooded top and black trousers. He pulled a white ski mask over his face.
His accomplice is white, in his 20s and slim, with mousy brown hair, a black hooded top and black tracksuit trousers with white stripes.
The car was black.
Anyone who can help police find the men should ring 0845 6060606.
