Brighton shopkeeper fights off raider with a chair leg (From The Argus)

Brighton shopkeeper fights off raider with a chair leg

11:01am Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in News By Anna Roberts, Crime reporter

A Brighton shopkeeper faced with a masked knifeman successfully defended himself with just a chair leg.

Tario Rahman told the would-be robber: “Why do I have to give you money? I’ve worked hard for my money,” after the man ran into his shop in Coombe Road brandishing a knife and demanding cash.

The pair struggled for several minutes before the robber fled with both the knife and the chair leg – but no cash.

Mr Rahman yesterday told how he repeatedly struck the robber with the chair leg which he picked up from behind the counter of his shop, Coombe Road Convenience Store in Brighton.

CCTV footage shows the robber burst behind the counter while Mr Rahman is working. The thief holds the knife above his head but he does not anticipate Mr Rahman bringing the chair leg down on him.

The action then moves onto the shop floor with the duo fight for control of the weapons. Mr Rahman, 44, who lives in Crawley, said: “He came in and demanded money. He had a knife and he said, ‘Give me your money’.

“He came behind the counter and I saw that the knife was very large. I had a chair leg, so, yeah, I hit him.

“I said, ‘Why do I have to give you money? I’ve worked hard for my money’. There was then a fight and eventually he left.”

Mr Rahman said it was the first time in at least 20 years that he had been the victim of such a serious incident.

He said police had found clothes including a hooded top near his shop after the 7.30am incident on Sunday.

Detective Sergeant Steve Warner, from Brighton and Hove CID, said: “The shopkeeper was very brave but the outcome could have been very different. Fortunately he was not injured.

“Officers will be continuing with house to house inquiries and viewing CCTV.”

Call Sussex Police on 101.