A man remains in a life-threatening condition following a violent robbery at a jewellery store in Peterborough on Saturday. Six men entered Lala Jewellers on Gladstone Street at approximately 11:50 GMT, assaulted staff members and fled with items from the shelves in separate vehicles. According to BBC News, Cambridgeshire Police believe the victim was stabbed during the incident.
The 50-year-old employee who was seriously injured has been hospitalised in critical condition. A second employee, a 30-year-old man, sustained minor injuries during the assault. Police described two of the six suspects as wearing white, traditional Pakistani clothing. Peterborough Today reported that officers have assigned incident reference 35/88602/26 to the case.
What do local leaders say about the attack?
Zameer Ali, the Labour cabinet member for communities at Peterborough City Council, expressed deep concern about the robbery. He stated that residents should not face the threat of violence while conducting their everyday activities. Paul Bristow, the Conservative mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, described the incident as "violent and horrendous" and called for community solidarity with those affected.
"This is not who we are. We stand together with those who just do their job, run their business and want to be free of the fear of the dreadful people who would do such a terrible thing," Bristow said.
Detective Inspector Tracy Sawyer emphasised the seriousness of the crime and the ongoing investigation to identify those responsible.
"This is a very concerning incident which has left one man seriously injured, and we are carrying out extensive inquiries to identify those responsible,"
Sawyer added that police were seeking information from anyone present in the Gladstone Street area around the time of the robbery who witnessed suspicious activity before or after the assault.
What police support has been arranged?
Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes confirmed he was liaising with police and local authorities following the attack. According to Peterborough Today, Pakes said extra police patrols had been agreed for the area in response to the incident.
How can the public help the investigation?
Cambridgeshire Police are appealing for CCTV, doorbell camera or dashcam footage from the Gladstone Street area that may be relevant to the inquiry. Members of the public with information can provide it online or by telephone on 101, quoting incident reference 35/88602/26. Detective Inspector Sawyer urged anyone with evidence to come forward as soon as possible to assist officers in identifying the six men involved in the robbery.
