A BETTING shop in Oxford was the target of an armed robbery yesterday for the second time in less than two months.

Two masked robbers stole cash from Stan James, in Roundway, Headington, at about 11.30am. It was cordoned off for two-and-a-half hours by police.

Eyewitnesses said they were wearing balaclavas and carrying guns wrapped in clingfilm. Staff said a “low amount of money” was stolen.

On January 20, three men wearing balaclavas armed with a handgun and a hammer raided the same shop and stole money from a safe, in an evening raid.

Punter Pat Woods, 61, of Risinghurst, said one staff member had been in the shop in yesterday’s raid and was “shaken”.

He said: “It’s easy money and because it’s next to the main road people can come from anywhere. It’s a bit cheeky doing it in broad daylight.”

Roop Singh, 37, a shop assistant in Headington Superstore next door, said he was only alerted when police arrived.

He said: “It does make you worried. You think ‘it could be us next time’.”

Police described both robbers as Asian men in their early 20s. One was about 5ft 3ins and was wearing a dark grey hooded top and dark grey jeans. He was also carrying a yellow sports bag. The other robber was described as tall and wearing a dark grey hooded top and black trousers.

Police spokeswoman Hannah Williams said: “We are keeping an open mind about whether these two incidents are linked.”

The Oxford Mail reported last month there were 17 business robberies in the city between April 1 last year and January 31 – up 89 per cent on the nine in the same period the previous year.

Witnesses should call the 101 number.