A female Hays Travel agency worker was walking to a Post Office to deposit £10,000 in takings when she was attacked, a court heard last week.
Carole Jewitt, who was working for Hays Travel Agency in South Shields, was taking the money to a Post Office just a few doors away when the robbers struck, Newcastle Crown Court was told.
The four men involved in the robbery were given jail terms of between three and five years each after they were convicted of robbery charges by a jury.
The court heard while one of the men acted as the getaway driver and another the look out, the other two men attacked Jewitt, leaving her shocked and suffering cuts and bruises.
Evidence was given that she attempted to throw the bag through the door of the Post Office but one of the robbers grabbed it and they made off.
The gang was traced after a passerby who gave chase first on foot and then in his car took down their car registration number. However, only £2,000 of the money has been recovered.
Sentencing the men Judge Richard Lowden said: “This was a robbery involving four of you and you all played a part.
“You left a house in a car to go to an area where this woman would be carrying a large sum of money. To that extent it was planned.
“She was a vulnerable victim, she received some injury in the course of being robbed and a large sum of £10,000 was taken.”