Balaclava-clad brute made off with £2000

A TERRIFIED shopkeeper was left in tears after a meat cleaver-wielding thug burst into a corner shop and demanded cash from the till.

- BY RYAN CARROLL

Police have launched a probe after £2000 was stolen from the Premier Bathville store in Armadale, West Lothian, at around 8.15pm on Thursday.

Shop owner Abdul Manan, 27, has told how the balaclava-clad brute was seen on CCTV waiting at a bus stop outside the shop for half an hour as he carefully planned out the sinister attack.

He then barged into the store, holding the meat cleaver above his head, as he pushed a member of staff with force and said, "open your till now, empty it".

Speaking to the Record, Abdul said: "It was my staff member Atta that was on when it happened.

"He was terrified. He phoned me straight away and just started crying, apologising to me, saying he should have stopped him.