Rifle-toting 12-year-old chased away by broom-wielding shopkeeper

A woman from Kaitaia in New Zealand has spoken about the terrifying moment she had a rifle pointed at her at point-blank range in a convenience store hold-up. What's more shocking is that those charged with aggravated robbery are two boys aged just 12 and 15.





The store has been Dipika Patel's sanctuary for 15 years, but she has been shaken by the violent encounter. First a boy, believed to be just 12, entered her dairy, brandishing a gun. He tried to stuff items into his pockets but appeared to be so intoxicated he couldn't do it and struggled to stand.







Ms Patel spotted him on CCTV from out back and shouted for him to go away. Her instincts took over and her broom became her shield. "He said, 'Give me the money! Give me the money!' And I tried to hit him against the gun." She answered the boy's demands for cash with bloody-minded determination, as his 15-year-old mate entered the shop. Her two teenage sons were behind the shop at the time. She says she works hard every day.






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"So why would I want someone to take the money?" It's understood the gun wasn't loaded, although Ms Patel says the boy was pulling the trigger and she was "very scared". As she carried on her attack, broom in hand, the pair ran from the shop, exchanging the firearm outside. A probation officer then spotted the boy running. He followed them to a nearby house and alerted police. In a double invasion of privacy, that house was in fact owned by Ms Patel, the very woman they had just terrorised.

With additional news video.