Shopkeeper fought off armed robbers with his shoe

A shopkeeper has been captured on video fighting off armed robbers with his shoe. Police praised the unnamed worker as they released CCTV footage of the raid showing him confronting the hooded thieves who attacked him with a knife.



Despite being outnumbered and stabbed in the arm, he whipped off his shoe and forced them back towards the door of the service station. The robbers eventually flee empty-handed, being chased on to the forecourt by the worker wearing only one shoe.

Police hope the CCTV will prompt information about the raid, at about 1.20am on Saturday at Mercury service station on Manchester Road in Westhoughton, Greater Manchester. The victim suffered two puncture wounds to his arm and later needed 12 stitches.


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Detective Constable Malcolm Cheetham, of Greater Manchester police, said: "This man's heroic actions meant that these thieves got away empty handed, but for his trouble he was wounded. We will do all we can to find the men responsible." Both of the offenders were black men. The man with the knife was about 1.8 metres (6ft) tall, of medium build and in his early to mid-20s. His accomplice was about 1.79 metres (5ft 9in) tall and of medium build.