Shireoaks Armed Robbery

Attackers threatened Sarah and David Draisey with a sawn-off shotgun

On Wednesday 2 November, 2011, two armed men burst into the home of a Nottinghamshire postmistress and her husband. They stole thousands of pounds from the safe in the adjoining Post Office and left the distressed couple tied up on the floor.

Postmistress Sarah Draisey has run Shireoaks Post Office and shop for the last 10 years. She lives with her husband, David Draisey, in a bungalow connected to the post office.

David suffers from Parkinson's disease and is retired. They are both are in their mid to late 60s. Shireoaks is a relatively quiet village, close to the A57 at Worksop which links to the nearby M1 and A1.

On the day of the attack, at around 5pm, Sarah closed the shop as usual and followed her daily routine of taking their dog Ted for a walk. At around 5.15pm David went into the conservatory to have a cigarette - where he was confronted by two males who burst through a wooden-framed window. Police later discovered the attackers had drilled through the frame in order to flick open the window locks.

Both males were wearing full-face balaclavas and dark clothing. The first attacker had a sawn-off shotgun and was screaming at David, using an extremely high level of violence. The attacker ordered David to open the safe. David protested and told the attacker that his wife had the keys.

David was overpowered and was struck with the shotgun barrel across his left cheek.

Sarah Draisey has run the Shireoaks Post Office and village shop for the last 10 years

He was then bundled into the front living room where his hands and feet were secured with black plastic tie-wraps. He was guarded by the second offender who was holding a metal hammer.

Meanwhile, the first offender ransacked the bungalow and stole £400 of David and Sarah’s own money.

At around 5.30pm, Sarah arrived back home with the dog. As she came through the front door, she was confronted by the attacker pointing the sawn-off shotgun directly at her. He screamed and swore at her, making threats of violence towards her husband and saying he would kill their dog. Sarah was then marched through to the post office with the shotgun at the small of her back.

After opening the safe, Sarah was tied up with David and they were told not to move.

Armed robbers used the couple's jeep as their getaway vehicle

The attackers took thousands of pounds worth of cash and unregistered tax discs from the Post Office safe. They then took the keys to the couple’s jeep which they used as their getaway car. It was later found abandoned a five minute drive away in a lay-by on the A57 northbound carriageway near the Shireoaks roundabout. Police think the men may have swapped cars at this point.

The robbery has left the couple extremely shaken and distressed. Since the attack new security measures have been put in place at the Post Office to help guard against similar offences.

• Police are appealing for anyone who saw the offenders swapping cars in the lay-by on the northbound carriageway of the northbound A57, at approximately 5.50pm on Wednesday, November 2nd. Model: Jeep Cherokee 2.5 CRD Sport, Black. Reg.number YR02 XAF. Police need to know what getaway vehicle then attackers used and which direction they took. It is also possible that there were witness sightings of the getaway vehicle parked in this lay-by prior to the car swap - any time from around 5pm.

• There was a report of a stranger hanging around near the property less than a week before the attack. He was a white male, in his mid-20s to 30s, between 5ft 9" and 6 ft tall with medium-length dark curly hair. He was seen on either the Wednesday 26 or Thursday 27 October at 3.30pm walking along Cartwright Street. Police are keen to stress he may be entirely innocent, but are asking local residents to contact them if they saw him, or anyone unusual in the area in the days leading up to the robbery.

• The unusual way the attackers got into the house leads police to suspect they may have a previous offending history. They drilled holes under latch of the conservatory window, so they could flick the catch open.

• There is a £10,000 reward on offer from the Post Office for information leading to a conviction.

• The offenders stole unregistered tax discs which are marked with unique serial numbers. Police are urging people to check their tax disc serial numbers if they suspect they may have one of the missing discs.

• Fourteen were 6-month tax discs valid until 30-04-12. The serial numbers are: 04 2703227

04 2703228

04 2703229

04 2703230

04 2703231

04 2703232

04 2703233

04 2703234

04 2703235

04 2703236

04 2703237

04 2703238

04 2703239

04 2703240

One was a 12-month tax disc valid until 31.10.12. The serial number is:10 1253860

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