AN armed robber fired a suspected gun in the air after he and an accomplice made of with cash from an ATM.
The masked men targeted the Centra shop in Beechmount Avenue in west Belfast shortly before 8.15am on Thursday.
One of the men is described as wearing a navy jacket, combat style trousers and carrying a machete and the second was wearing a green jacket and "armed with a suspected firearm".
Detective Inspector Keith Wilson said as an ATM was being filled in store, the men threatened the staff inside and took money from the scene. They made off in a red Mercedes towards the Kennedy Street area.
"It is believed the man armed with the firearm discharged the weapon into the air outside the shop," he said.
A red Mercedes was found burnt out at Shiels Street a short time later.
"It is believed the men got out of the red Mercedes and utilised both a Range Rover and a Volvo parked in the area, and then made off towards the Falls Road area following the incident," Mr Wilson said.
A Volvo was later found at Lenadoon Avenue and a Land Rover found at Bingnian Drive - both in west Belfast - later in the morning.
"The reckless actions of firing a weapon could have resulted in severe consequences as there were members of the public, including young school children in the area who have been exposed to such activity and could have been seriously injured or worse," the policeman said.
