Two men have been arrested after three shops were robbed at gunpoint in the Mid Ulster area on Thursday.
Shops in Clonoe, Coagh and Ballyronan were threatened by armed masked men leaving staff "very badly shaken" on the morning of January 30.
A man in his 50s and another in his 30s were arrested on suspicion of a number of offences in connection with the investigation
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Detective Sergeant Robinson said: “The robberies took place inside three different commercial premises in the Ballyronan, Coagh and Clonoe areas.
“Staff were threatened by two masked men - and were ordered to hand over a sum of cash.
“A blue Audi A6 – believed to have been used by the suspects, was stolen from outside an address in Portadown and later found on fire at Drumcree Community Centre.
“Tonight [Thursday], Mid Ulster detectives conducted a number of searches at properties in the Churchill Park area of Portadown.
“Two men, aged in their 30s and 50s, were arrested on suspicion of a number of offences in connection with the investigation – an electronic device was also seized for forensic examination.
“They have both been taken to police custody for questioning.
“We would reiterate our appeal that anyone with information or who may have captured CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage of what happened is asked to contact police by calling 101, quoting reference number 201 30/01/25.”
The first robbery at a filling station on the Ballinderry Bridge Road in Coagh took place at around 6.50am on Thursday.
Two masked men armed with a handgun entered the store and threatened staff, placing a weapon to the head of one man forcing him to open the till. The robbers made off with a sum of cash, travelling in a vehicle driven by a third man.
The second robbery happened at a supermarket on Shore Road in Ballyronan and was reported just before 7am where two men armed with a handgun, threatened staff, placing the gun to the head of one staff member, before making off with cash and a quantity of cigarettes.
A short time later the third armed robbery was reported. This time a shop on Moor Road in Clonoe was robbed at gunpoint, with the suspects again making off with cash.
Information can also be submitted online via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
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