A masked gunman robbed a shop of cash during an evening raid.

The man went into the Co-op in Canvey Road at around 9.25pm, last night, Monday August 12 and threatened a member of staff with what has been described as a gun.

The man, who is described as wearing a mask, then made off on foot with an amount of cash.

Acting Detective Sergeant Nick May, from Basildon CID, said: “This was a terrifying incident for the member of staff and I would urge anyone who saw the man before or after the incident to contact us.

“Fortunately, incidents like this are rare and there is not believed to be any wider threat to the local community.”

If you saw anything, have any CCTV or dash cam footage, or have any other information please call us on 101 quoting the crime reference number 42/129630/19 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.