A ROBBER struck in an evening raid at a Ruabon off-licence.
A man entered Booze Buster on High Street and demanded cigarettes from the shop assistant before making off.
North Wales Police later arrested a man after a hunt involving dog handlers and the Cheshire Police helicopter.
Worried residents believe the raid, at about 9.30pm on Saturday, could be linked to a spate of other incidents in the village.
Staff at the Post Office next door to Booze Buster were reportedly threatened by a robber just three hours earlier.
An attempted break-in was reported at the Nisa store on nearby Henry Street at about 4am on Saturday morning.
There are also reports of several house burglaries in the last fortnight.
Ruabon councillor Dana Davies said the village had been shocked by the number of incidents in such a short space of time.
She said: “Understandably people are very concerned about this and it is very worrying for residents.
“Ruabon does not have a particularly high crime rate so it is extremely unusual.
“There are CCTV cameras in the village centre and I hope the footage can be used to catch whoever is responsible.”
Cllr Davies said police had stepped up patrols as a result of the latest incident.
She said: “Officers have assured me there will be an increased police presence in the village to reassure residents.
“I will be speaking to the police to see how that presence can be maintained moving forward.
“I would urge all residents to ensure they keep all of their doors and windows locked.”
A police spokeswoman said: “We were called to a robbery at Booze Buster in Ruabon at 9.30pm on Saturday.
“A male made off with a quantity of cigarettes but was later arrested and is currently in custody.”