Police are hunting an armed man who threatened workers during an attempted robbery at an Inverness shop.
Terrified staff at the Co-op store in the business park at the city’s Cradlehall area, just off Caulfield Road, were targeted at about 10pm on Wednesday night.
It is understood three staff members were in the shop at the time and that one assistant was threatened with the blade.
The culprit fled without any cash.
Detectives have been reviewing CCTV footage and it is believed the man may have entered the shop again yesterday morning.
Shortly after 10am police tried to stop a man who was cycling on the pavement by Caulfield Road, just yards from the shop.
But he dropped his bike and fled as they approached.
At the scene yesterday, a forensics officer was seen taking fingerprints from the handlebars of the abandoned bike.
However, it is unclear whether the man and the robbery are connected.
Police have described the armed would-be thief as being in his mid 30s, around 5ft 10 and of a medium to heavy build.
He was wearing a dark blue hooded windcheater top, navy blue jogging bottoms with a light coloured stripe down the side, black dress shoes and white socks.
Westhill community councillor Duncan Macpherson revealed he was in the shop just five minutes before the incident took place.
He added: “It is an unusual incident to happen and it is troubling in these dark nights for the community. No doubt it will come up at our next community council meeting.”
Aileen McLeod, who owns nearby Elysian hair salon, said: “I have had the business here for 13 years and nothing like this has ever happened before.”
A Co-operative spokesman confirmed bosses are doing all they can to help the staff involved.
“I can confirm that an attempted robbery took place at the Caulfield Road Co-operative store on the evening of November 25,” he said.
“We are fully supporting our store team and working closely with the police in order to help them apprehend those responsible.”