SPECIALIST teams of police officers have been drafted in to patrol the north Bromsgrove area after two robberies in neighbouring villages.

An armed-response vehicle with specialist firearms officers and a double crew from the local policing team, together with the road policing unit from West Mercia Constabulary's headquarters and the specialist Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) team, will be on patrol.

The high-profile move follows an armed robbery at Blackwell Post Office last Thursday when two men, one believed to be holding a gun, threatened staff forcing them to hand over cash. A second robbery happened in Barnt Green the following day when a man snatched cash from a security guard in Hewell Road.

Inspector Dave Shaw, from Bromsgrove police, said: "Officers will be carrying out high visibility patrols to provide reassurance to the public and will also be carrying out roadside checks on vehicles.

"Officers will be visiting post offices, shops and banks and the ANPR team will be checking vehicles for ones we have put markers on registration numbers and pulling drivers over.

Insp Shaw said the high profile operation was initially to run for this week only but was now being extended until Christmas.

He added: "When nights get darker we tend to get more of these type of incidents but this year they have started earlier and we've had two robberies in two days.

"We want to reassure the public we are working hard to prevent and detect crime in Bromsgrove and stop any similar incidents happening."

The armed response vehicle normally covers Bromsgrove, Redditch and Kidderminster but it is now only patrolling north Bromsgrove area, including Wythall, Rubery and Hagley divisions, from 9am to 6pm.

l For the full stories of the Barnt Green and Blackwell robberies turn to pages seven and 19.