Thousands stolen in post office hold-up

Thousands of euros were stolen when a man in sunglasses and a baseball cap held up a post office in Birkirkara yesterday afternoon.

Two female employees, 31 and 32, were closing the Maltapost outlet in Valley Road when they were stopped by a man wielding a revolver at about 12.45 p.m., sources said.

The man, who was caught on close-circuit television, was wearing a white baseball cap, sunglasses, a white shirt with blue and red stripes and jeans. The employees described him as tall with brownish-red hair, unless it was a wig, and said he left the shop on foot.

The employees were treated for severe shock.

The hold-up spurred the General Workers’ Union to call for employees to be protected by bullet-proof glass and for a police officer or security guard to be placed at each outlet. The union said it had already contacted the company and scheduled a meeting for Tuesday to discuss such measures.

Investigations, led by Inspector Keith Arnaud and Joseph Mercieca from the Criminal Investigation Department and Inspector Bernard Charles Spiteri from the District Police, are ongoing. It is understood the police are still looking for the suspect.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani is carrying out an inquiry.