CCTV image of armed robbery

Masked thugs who robbed a Kidderminster building society at gunpoint were caught on CCTV – and may have carried out other raids across the Midlands, it was revealed today.

The robbers were caught on camera as they terrorised security guards at Nationwide in Vicar Street.

Police believe the same thugs may also have been involved in a robbery at a Shrewsbury bank in which staff were threatened with a handgun, sledgehammer and crowbar.

Another robbery was carried out in Telford on September 5 when cash was being delivered.

In the Kidderminster robbery two security guards were refilling the cash machine at the Nationwide Building Society just before 10pm on Friday.

They were threatened and forced to the floor by three masked men, one of who was carrying what appeared to be a sawn-off shotgun and another who had a revolver.

They made their get-away with an undisclosed, but "substantial", amount of cash in a dark-coloured Ford Focus car, which they had left parked behind T J Hughes department store.

The three men were white and wearing ski-mask style balaclavas, hoodies and dark jeans.

Police said today they had traced a group of three men and women who approached the guards after the robbery and may hold clues to the identity of the robbers. They appealed for anyone else who was in the town centre and may have seen the gang to come forward. Call 08457 444888 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.