A REWARD of up to £10,000 is being offered to anyone able to help identify a man believed to be linked to a series of armed robberies across Birmingham and the Black Country.

The reward has been offered by the independent charity Crimestoppers and the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) in the hope someone will come forward with vital information about the raids which were carried out in the Stourbridge, Dudley, Brierley Hill, Halesowen, Oldbury and Birmingham areas between March 30 and November 26 by a man armed with a black handgun.

A total of 12 robberies were committed at nine different supermarkets and convenience stores, and one store was targeted on three separate evenings.

The raids all occurred between 7.45pm and 10.30pm - and on each occasion the armed offender approached the tills, threatened staff and forced them to take money out of the tills before fleeing.

Detective Inspector Nigel Smith, from Dudley CID, said: "Thankfully, nobody was injured in the robberies. We have carried out numerous inquiries to try and identify the suspect but as yet, we have been unable to trace him."

Det Insp Smith released CCTV images back in October of two young men who may have information which could help the investigation but the potential witnesses have still not been identified, so he how now released an audio recording from the raid on Sainsbury’s Local in Wollaston High Street, which happened on September 12.

Det Insp Smith said: "The recording - captured on their security system − has had background noises removed.

"Hopefully someone listening to the audio may recognise the suspect’s voice and call us with his identity."

To listen to the audio recording click here.

The Black Country robberies happened at Howley Grange Road, Halesowen, between 9.10pm and 9.16pm on March 30; Howley Grange Road, Halesowen, between 9.15pm and 9.29pm on August 17; Wollaston High Street, between 10.15pm and 10.24pm on September 12; Castle Road, Oldbury, between 9.30pm and 9.39pm on November 12; Highgate Road, Brierley Hill, between 7.45pm and 7.56pm on November 21; and Buffery Road, Dixons Green, Dudley, between 8.20pm and 8.32pm on November 26.

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers (anonymously) on 0800 555 111 if wanting to claim the reward of up to £10,000.