Search for postmaster son's killers

Jan 10 2009

A manhunt involving more than 100 police officers is under way for a group of "dangerous" masked men who shot dead the son of a village postmaster during a robbery.

The three, armed with a handgun and a sledgehammer, blasted 29-year-old Craig Hodson-Walker in the chest during the raid at his parents' business in Fairfield, north Worcestershire.

His father Ken was shot in the leg as the men burst into Fairfield Post Office and Stores on Stourbridge Road.

More than 100 officers will continue searching the area to catch Mr Hodson-Walker's killers.

The men, who were wearing balaclavas, escaped from the scene in a silver VW Golf which was found abandoned in a nearby road.

West Mercia Constabulary said the car was stolen from Solihull on New Year's Eve and had false number plates.

Detectives said it was likely that the car had been caught in rush-hour traffic near the post office and urged anyone who saw the vehicle to contact them.

Detective Superintendent Jon Groves said the robbers should not be approached.

He said: "I can assure you that we are determined to bring these offenders to justice as soon as possible."

Detectives are investigating whether the incident is linked to three or four robberies that have occurred in the Bromsgrove area over the past several months.

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