Police are investigating a New Year’s Eve cash box snatch from outside a bank.

A Met Police spokesman said they received a call shortly after 2.40pm on New Year’s Eve to reports of a robbery outside Natwest on Hook Road, near Chessington.

She said: “One man snatched a cash box from a cash in transit guard as he was attempting to deliver it into the bank.

“He made off in a vehicle heading into Chessington. There were no weapons and no injuries.”

She declined to give a figure for the amount of money stolen.

A spokesman for Natwest bank said: "The box that he got away with we have security measures in place to explode it and the money would be absolutely useless to the person that got that money.

"The security man had already made a visit to the bank and dropped a box off.

"He was going out to get the other one and they [bank staff] thought 'that's taking a long time'.

"They went outside to investigate and police were on the scene."

Many of the shops were closed early but one Frimley Road resident who drove past after the snatch said: “There were police cars outside the bank and the car park was cordoned off.

“There was a Securicor van in the car park. I just assumed there had been a robbery.”

The Barnes Flying Squad are investigating the robbery.

Any witnesses should call 0208 237 4800.