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Shopkeeper confronts samurai sword robber
Rob Singh, Evening Standard1 Oct 2008
This is the moment a heroic shopkeeper fought off a robber wielding a Samurai sword - and locked him in a cupboard.
Drug addict Andrew Speed, 18, slashed at Rameshkumar Rasiah with the 18-inch blade screaming: "I'm going to stab you, I'm going to kill you."
But the brave worker chased him through the shop and eventually grabbed the blade as his boss and his sister waded in armed with a broom and pipe.
The trio grappled with the youth for two minutes and eventually bundled him into a cupboard, where they locked him in until police arrived.
When he was eventually escorted from the shop by police officers he sobbed: "Please, keep them away from me, I won't play up, get me out of here."
Speed, of Southmead, Bristol, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in a youth detention centre at Bristol crown court yesterday. Mr Rasiah, 31, who suffered cuts and bruises to his palm and elbow, said the thug had "picked on the wrong shopkeeper".
"I was absolutely terrified but adrenaline took over and I knew I had to stop him from stealing anything," he said.
"He threw cans at me and kept trying to attack me but I was not backing down because I knew I had to protect the shop for my boss.
"Sometimes it can be a bit worrying when you're working alone and perhaps he thought he could get away with it - but this guy picked on the wrong shopkeeper.
"Let this be a lesson to all thieves - you will never steal anything while I'm working in the shop."
The raid happened at a Londis convenience store run by Nagaratnam Jeyanthan in Southmead, Bristol, at 5.30am on 9 June.
Speed told police he tried to rob the shop to buy money for drugs.
Reader views (3)
But why was the shopkeeper not arrested? locking the thief in a cupboard was a clear violation of his human rights, he was obviously severely traumatized when the Police arrived, also no mention of whether they carried out a proper risk assessment before tackling him, I think the Health and Safety Executive should mount a full investigation.
- Graham H, Sevenoaks England, 02/10/2008 09:57
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Well done to him, this is what we need back in Britain today.
- N Grinsell, london, 01/10/2008 23:34
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Some may think he is a fool but not everybody can be as brave as he is!
- Ana, Montevideo, Uruguay, South America, 01/10/2008 17:28
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