A Co-op store that was targeted twice in the last few weeks was once again targeted last night (October 18), claim residents.

The store on Dagenham Road in Rush Green is said to have nearly fallen victim to a thief at around 9.45pm, but the suspect were reportedly stopped by three local men.

Witnesses took to social media to share an account of what they saw. One woman said the alleged thief was apprehended by the men who sat on him until the police arrived.

Meanwhile another posted that she saw “lots of police” outside the store around the time.

The shop was raided by masked men on September 19, and then again on October 1 in previous such incidents.

Items like alcohol, cigarettes and vapes were found to be taken that time. No arrests have been known to be made into the crimes so far.

Read More: Rush Green, Romford Co-op raided twice in two weeks

Another Facebook user also claimed on Facebook that she watched a shoplifter run out of the store with a big bag full of washing detergents last weekend.

Another resident cast her doubts on the future of the store given the persistent attacks. “I expect it will close down at this rate”, she said.

The Recorder is awaiting a formal statement from the police and Co-op on yesterday’s incident.

Matt Hood, Co-op Food managing director had earlier said that the company has invested more than £200m in recent years in colleague and community safety to counter criminal behaviour.

The British Retail Consortium had written a letter signed by 90 leading retailers, including Co-op, to the Home Secretary in September asking for support amid a rise in thefts and “unacceptable levels of violence and abuse” in stores.