RESIGNATION rather than shock seems to be the initial reaction to the news that an armed gang raided a Co-op store in Halstead on Tuesday night.

With five extremely similar robberies taking place in the district since November, most recently at Great Yeldham post office, perhaps it was only a matter of time before a Halstead business and the poor staff working there at the time were targeted.

Let’s be absolutely clear: The fault for these crimes lies with the callous thugs who arm themselves, cover their faces and terrorise shopkeepers in a bid to get their hands on a few quid.

But it is right to question whether our increasingly stretched blue line needs more support.

There is no doubt the officers and special constables serving Halstead and the surrounding area are doing everything within their power to make this a safe place to live.

And while these incidents are terrifying, we must not lose sight of the fact that the chances of any of us becoming a victim of crime is relatively low.

Yet the suspicion remains: Would the Abels Road Co-op have been targeted had the robbers feared being caught by officers at Halstead police station, which closed last year?

Do criminals know they will have 20 minutes to do a runner before the police, travelling from Braintree or even further afield, arrive?

Would more so-called “bobbies on the beat” with their ears to the ground have been able to find the gang which may be responsible when the first raid took place in November?

Our local police force deserves our support, but they also deserve more funding and resources from the Government.