Men charged after armed robbery at store

Balaclava-clad thieves brandishing a sledgehammer and crowbar burst into the McColls convenience store in Atherton at around 12.35pm on Tuesday August 29.

Petrified staff at the shop on Car Bank Street were threatened, with one employee being repeatedly punched in the face.

Three robbers took a small amount of cash and stamps before fleeing the store in a Vauxhall Vectra that had been parked outside throughout.

The men later made their way to the M61 where they attacked the elderly male driver of a Toyota Yaris and tried to drag a woman out of the car onto the sliproad of junction four.

Police have now charged four men, two of them aged 36 and the others aged 32 and 35, in connection with the incident.

Patrick McDonagh of Ridge Crescent, Whitefield has been charged with business robbery.

David Dargan of no fixed address has been charged with business robbery and attempted robbery.

Richard Smith of Pegwell Drive in Salford has been charged with business robbery and attempted robbery.

John Groom of Manchester Road, Worsley has been charged with business robbery and attempted robbery.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) also detained a 48-year-old woman on suspicion of money laundering as part of the same investigation. She has since been released under investigation.

They are due to appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday), August 31.