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Beeston armed robber chased away with wasp spray | Beeston armed robber chased away with wasp spray |
(about 17 hours later) | |
A "brave" shop owner used a can of wasp spray to chase away an armed robber. | A "brave" shop owner used a can of wasp spray to chase away an armed robber. |
Shiyam Gunawardena said the attacker pointed a gun at her and demanded money at Beeston Mini Market on Chilwell Road, Nottinghamshire at 11:00 GMT. | Shiyam Gunawardena said the attacker pointed a gun at her and demanded money at Beeston Mini Market on Chilwell Road, Nottinghamshire at 11:00 GMT. |
The 46-year-old said: "I was shocked, but never panicked... I grabbed the wasp killer." | |
Nottinghamshire Police said the masked man pointed a suspected firearm at a member of staff and fled on foot towards Imperial Road. | |
Mrs Gunawardena said she was serving behind the counter when the man came into the shop. | Mrs Gunawardena said she was serving behind the counter when the man came into the shop. |
"He had his face covered and showed a gun and said 'I'm very serious, I'm not joking... give me your valuables, money, money, take out your money, open the till'," she said. | "He had his face covered and showed a gun and said 'I'm very serious, I'm not joking... give me your valuables, money, money, take out your money, open the till'," she said. |
"I was a little bit shocked, but I never panicked, I never showed him I was scared," she recalled. | "I was a little bit shocked, but I never panicked, I never showed him I was scared," she recalled. |
"I said 'you want money, wait a minute I'm going to give you money', I then pressed the panic button and grabbed the wasp killer. | |
"I wanted to scare him. I ran after him, I was very angry. I wanted to catch him." | "I wanted to scare him. I ran after him, I was very angry. I wanted to catch him." |
'Too risky' | 'Too risky' |
She said she told the attacker she would spray his eyes if he did not leave immediately. | She said she told the attacker she would spray his eyes if he did not leave immediately. |
Her husband, Marshan Gunawardena, said: "She was brave and heroic, but it was too risky, he could have shot her and it would be a different story." | Her husband, Marshan Gunawardena, said: "She was brave and heroic, but it was too risky, he could have shot her and it would be a different story." |
Judy Sleath, chairwoman of the Beeston Civic Society, said: "Armed police arrived with machine guns and it was all a bit frightening... you don't expect this sort of thing on Chilwell Road." | Judy Sleath, chairwoman of the Beeston Civic Society, said: "Armed police arrived with machine guns and it was all a bit frightening... you don't expect this sort of thing on Chilwell Road." |
Police described the robber as a white male and appealed for information. |
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