A BALACLAVA-clad raider threatened a cashier with a screwdriver before taking off on a mountain bike with £400 in cash.

The robbery took place at about 6.50pm on Wednesday at the post office, which is in a Premier shop, in Ipswich Road, Colchester. 

Detectives are now searching for the robber who remains at large.

Owner Renuthas Ramanathan said: “It was a frightening experience for her.

“The man came in and straight away he went to the counter and put the screwdriver in her face.

“He just shouted: ‘Give me the money, give me the money!’

“He was an angry man.

“She just opened the till and he took everything he could.

“We don’t keep a lot of money in the till but he got away with about £400.”

Mr Ramanathan, who has run the shop and post office for 11 years without incident, added: “My wife had been with [the victim] and had just gone out for a minute and it was then that he came in.

“He was covered head to toe so he was prepared.

“He might even have been watching because that was the only time she was alone.

“As soon as he got the money, he left.

“He got on a bike and cycled off down the road towards Colchester.”

The raider is described as about 6ft tall and aged in his thirties.

As well as the balaclava, he was wearing a dark green coat, dark-coloured trousers and dark-coloured gloves.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “We are appealing for information following a robbery in Colchester

“A man went into the Post Office in Ipswich Road at around 6.50pm on Wednesday, threatened a female member of staff with what is believed to have been a screwdriver, and stole a three-figure sum of cash.

“He then rode off on a white mountain bike.”

Anyone with information on the incident or witnessed the raider fleeing should contact DC Trevor Clark at Colchester CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.