Man arrested in Cheltenham after hammer-wielding robberies

A man robbed two shops in Cheltenham and then fled the scene, police said

A man has been arrested in connection with two shop robberies where the suspect wielded a hammer.

The first happened in a shop on Hester's Way Road in Cheltenham at about 06:15 BST on Tuesday where a man smashed the till and took a quantity of money.

The other happened on Winchcombe Street shortly after 13:00 on Tuesday where cabinets were smashed and items stolen.

An 18-year-old man was arrested earlier and is in custody.

The suspect had fled in a van which mounted the pavement and narrowly missed a number of people as it drove off, Gloucestershire Police said.

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