Nottinghamshire Police and Crimestoppers are appealing for information after a shop worker was threatened with a machete during a robbery at a convenience store in Bestwood.
The incident happened at the Crest Mini Market on Saturday, 4 July 2026, at around 9.10 am.
The offender had a distinctive tattoo
A man entered the store while a member of staff was working on the shop floor, produced a machete he had concealed in his clothing and threatened them with it before taking a bottle of vodka and leaving the scene.
The staff member was not physically injured but was left badly shaken by what happened.
Although he was masked and wearing a hood, the attacker is described as having a very distinctive tattoo on his left arm. He has not yet been identified.
Crimestoppers, which is independent of the police, is offering a reward of up to £5,000 for information given exclusively to the charity that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
Detective Constable Thomas Lowe, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“This was an unpleasant ordeal for the victim, and we are determined to find the person responsible.
“Detectives have been supporting the victim while carrying out a thorough investigation into this incident.
“We work closely alongside Crimestoppers, and we’re grateful that the charity is offering a reward of up to £5,000 for anyone with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the man responsible.
“Please help us take this offender off our streets.”
Lydia Patsalides, East Midlands Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said:
“Going to work should never mean facing something like this.
“This was a frightening experience for someone simply doing their job in a shop at the heart of the community. We know it will have unsettled people living and working nearby.
“Somebody out there knows who did this. It might be something you saw that morning, something you’ve heard since, or a nagging feeling about someone you know. That tattoo may well be the detail that jogs the memory. Whatever it is, you don’t have to carry it on your own.
“We are not the police, and we never ask who you are. When you contact Crimestoppers via our website or on the phone, you will never be asked for your name, you won’t be traced, and you’ll never have to give a statement or go to court.
“If you’d rather tell us than anyone else, that’s exactly what we’re here for.”
The reward will only be payable for information passed directly to Crimestoppers and not to the police.
A reward code must be asked for when calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
If you contact the charity anonymously via its online form, the ‘Keep in contact’ facility must be used, and a reward code must be requested during your initial contact with Crimestoppers.
