Man arrested after woman stabbed in Greggs in Droylsden

A 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of robbery, after a woman was stabbed in the leg at Greggs in Droylsden.

It happened at the bakery on Queens Walk at around 5pm on Thursday 3 December. 

It is believed that he entered the shop and threatened workers, demanding that the till was opened. He grabbed one staff member, who was behind the counter, and stabbed her twice before making off empty handed.

She was taken to hospital with stab wounds to her thigh and hip but has since been discharged. 

One week later at 5pm on Thursday 10 December, police were called to an armed robbery at the Subway on Wellington Road in Ashton.

Police reports say that the man entered the shop and made his way behind the counter where he grabbed a member of staff by the throat. He then took money out of the till before fleeing on foot.

No one was injured in that robbery, but staff were left understandably shaken.

The man remains in custody to be interviewed by detectives. 

The arrest is in connection with seven robberies at a number of shops, as well as a personal robbery, across Tameside and Manchester between Thursday 5 November and Wednesday 16 December. 

During several of the robberies, the offender was armed with a knife and threatened staff members before making off with money from the till. 

Earlier this week, police released an e-fit to trace the man they were searching for. 

Detective Constable Christopher Oldham, of GMP's Tameside district, said: "Our dedicated team of detectives have been working non-stop to investigate this spate of violent robberies and after a number of extensive enquiries we finally have a man in custody.

"I would like to be clear that this arrest does not mean that our investigation is over. A number of innocent staff members were assaulted and left extremely shaken after being subjected to these violent robberies, and we owe it to them to persist in our enquiries, gathering evidence to ensure that the person responsible is brought to justice."