Police appeal after east Belfast shops targeted for robbery

THE PSNI has issued an appeal for information after two shops were targeted by robbers in east Belfast on Tuesday.

Three men with scarves covering their faces tried to rob a supermarket in the Newtownards Road area at around 8.30am.

The men made off empty handed and are believed to have got into a car in the Dee Street area.

Ten minutes later, a shop in the Belmont Church Road area was reported to have been robbed.

Three men are understood to have entered the shop and made off with an amount of cigarettes while another male stayed in a dark green car.

This car is believed to have KAZ as part of its vehicle registration number (VRN).

Anyone with any information about these incidents is asked to contact detectives onm 0845 600 8000.