A ROBBER escaped with “a bag of cash” after raiding the Boscombe branch of NatWest in Christchurch Road on Monday afternoon.

Police were called to the bank at 4.36pm following an alert from an alarm activation, with three police cars spotted outside.

Officers said the raider verbally threatened staff, but no weapon was seen, and he subsequently left with a quantity of cash.

A short time later, police were alerted to a man having been witnessed dropping an amount of cash in a nearby supermarket.

A spokesperson from Dorset Police said: “A 46-year-old man from Bournemouth was arrested a short time later near to the scene and is helping officers with their enquiries.”

During the afternoon, crime scene investigators could be seen inside the bank, on Christchurch Road, photographing the scene.

Customers were redirected to the Southbourne branch of the bank, with doors remaining locked until later in the evening to allow investigations to take place.

It is thought officers were able to access CCTV images of the incident taking place as part of their enquiries.

A member of the public, who said he had been using an outside cash point at the time of the raid, told the Daily Echo the raider had made off with a large amount of money in a bag.

“I didn’t see the bloke, but I heard later that he had a bag of cash with him when he left,” he said.

A spokesperson from NatWest was not available for comment at the time of going to press.

Witnesses and anyone with information should call Dorset Police in confidence on 101 quoting incident number 15:265.

Alternatively, call the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111 where mobile phone tariffs may apply.