Knife thug robs £100 from Blackburn shopkeeper (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Knife thug robs £100 from Blackburn shopkeeper

2:00pm Monday 18th March 2013 in News By Vanessa Cornall, Crime reporter

A HOODED thief stole cash from a shopkeeper in a terrifying knifepoint robbery.

Afzal Ali was sitting in the back of his SM Convenience store, in Mosley Street, Blackburn, when the thug, who was wearing a white hood and a scarf covering his face, walked in at 7pm on Saturday.

The 51-year-old owner said: “As he walked straight towards me I knew there was going to be trouble. I got up to work behind the counter.

“He tried to claim that my son owed him money but when I questioned why he just said I need cash.

“I think he was a drug addict. He was shaking violently.”

As the father-of-four refused to hand over any money, the thief pulled out a kitchen knife and demanded cash again.

But as Mr Ali tried to grab a mop to protect himself, the thief ran behind the counter and grabbed £100 before escaping.

Mr Ali, of Elm Street, Burnley, said: “When I saw the knife I panicked.

“My first thought was I need to get something to protect myself. “Out the corner of my eye I saw a mop in the corner of the shop.

“As I lurched to grab it, the thief ran behind the counter and grabbed some cash.

“I feel I should have done more to stop him but I was just so shocked.

“You just don’t expect people to come into a corner shop and threaten you with a knife.”

Dad-of-two Marcin Kulikowski, 32, who lives a few doors away from the shop, said: “I am really shocked to hear this has happened.

“We do get the odd few issues with teenagers hanging around here but nothing like this.

“I just hope the police catch the man who did this.”

Detectives are now appealing for potential witnesses to come forward.

DI Paul Langley, of Blackburn CID, said: “I urge anyone who spotted anyone suspicious hanging around the shop earlier that evening to contact police on 101.”

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