A gang got away with cigarettes and cash worth more than £3,000 from the Co-op in Hatfield Heath on Thursday morning (August 15).
Four masked and hooded men walked into the store on The Heath at about 11am.
They forced their way behind the counter and emptied tills and cigarette shelves.
None of the staff is believed to have been injured.
The gang ran off in the direction of Dunmow Road, which leads to Hatfield Broad Oak and Takeley.
A spokeswoman for Essex Police said on Friday: “We were called to Hatfield Heath at around 11am yesterday following reports of a burglary at the Co-op on The Heath.
“Four men entered the store and stole cigarettes and cash from the tills. The approximate value of the stolen items is over £3,000.
“Officers arrived quickly to begin enquiries and an investigation remains ongoing.”
A spokesperson for Co-op said: “We can confirm that a robbery took place at our Hatfield Heath store. Fortunately, no one was harmed during the incident and the store reopened in the evening to serve the community. We do urge anyone who may have any information to come forward to police.”
They added that staff safety and security were “always of paramount importance” and that colleagues were being fully supported.
Co-op has invested more than £200 million over recent years in colleague and store safety and security, which includes the latest interactive CCTV; body-worn cameras – which Co-op has used since 2019 to capture real-time audio and visual footage at the touch of a button; fortified kiosks; use of dummy (or empty) packaging to deter bulk theft; and undercover and non-covert guarding, with the tactical use of specially trained guards able to detain criminals.
Witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact Essex Police via https://www.essex.police.uk/ or call 101.