A store manager used his mobile phone to call police after being locked in a cupboard by raiders.
Darren Whitelaw said he was still in shock after his ordeal at the hands of two men at the Drinks Cabin, in Hamstel Road, Southend.
Shock - Darren Whitelaw by the cupboard door Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL
Mr Whitelaw, 33, and a father-of-two, said: "I didn't know what was going to happen to me. I am still in shock."
He was working alone when the pair walked into the shop at 11.30am yesterday and asked him about a bottle of wine.
Mr Whitelaw said: "I was walking over to answer the man's question and he asked me if I had my keys.
"I asked him why and he told me to behave myself and everything would be all right."
One of the men asked him if he smoked and Mr Whitelaw said his cigarettes were in his jacket, knowing his mobile phone was there too.
It was lucky he picked up the jacket as after ordering him to empty the safe of a substantial amount of money, cigarettes and phone cards, the robbers locked him in the store cupboard.
Mr Whitelaw used his mobile to call police, and they were on the scene within minutes - unbolting the cupboard door and freeing him unharmed.
He said: "They were very calm and they didn't threaten me with anything but I didn't know what was going to happen to me."
He described one of the men as white, about 5ft 9in tall with very short hair, unshaven, wearing faded blue jeans, a denim jacket and beige Reebok Classic trainers.
Contact Det Con Harman on 01702 471212.
Published Wednesday, May 28, 2003
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