A DISTRAUGHT mother’s screams were ignored when she shouted for help while two criminals made off with a shop till in Shirley. 

The burglars stole a till containing around £500 from the Transilvania store in Shirley Road at about 5.45pm on Sunday.

Owner Adrian Diacu said his 50-year-old mother had been working alone in the shop which opened around six months ago.

He said the two men, wearing tracksuits, trainers and hoodies, with their faces covered, cycled past the shop three times before the incident - with one bike described as a red and white mountain bike.

He added his mother, who had been left so terrified she did not want to go back in the shop, was stacking shelves when one of the men stopped and held the door open while the other ran in and grabbed the till, valued at £800, before running out and riding off towards Millbrook. 

“It happened so fast, in a matter of five seconds, it cost me almost £1,500,” Mr Diacu said. 

“My mother ran outside after them. She was screaming for help and no one came. It was 5.45pm so there would have been people around.

"This is the part that upsets me the most - that no one helped her and just stood by and watched.

“My mother was left crying and shaking - we had a job to calm her down.”

Mr Diacu said the police had barely done anything since the incident and by the time they had the criminals would have had chance to chuck away their clothes and spend the money.

“It is very frustrating... I recognised the one - by his clothing and the way he moved,” he added.

“Other people I have shown the CCTV to have also said they recognise the one man. I told the police I wanted them to go knock his door but they said they did not have enough evidence. 

“One person even told me to go knock on his door myself - by that is not my job, it is the police’s.

“I said they were not doing anything and was told these things take time.

“It is not fair I work hard, I pay my taxes - every week for the last six months I have worked six days a week from 6.30am until 11pm.

"I think Shirley is becoming one of the worst places for crime now.”

A police spokeswoman said: “Two men on bikes approached the store. One held the door as the other went inside and stole the till from the counter. The till was recovered a short time later. It was empty.”

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 quoting 44160476462 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.