Brave shopkeeper fights off knife-wielding robber with a cardboard box

06 September 2023 , 07:22

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Soran Sharifi (Image: Emma Trimble / SWNS)

A hero shopkeeper fought off a knife-wielding robber by using a cardboard box as a shield.

Soran Sharifi, 45, was behind the counter when the masked thug burst into his shop and demanded cash. Soran grabbed an Evri parcel weighing about 22lb and shoved the aggressor during the August 26 raid. The robber, who he thinks was drunk, staggered backwards about three yards before hurling bottles of gin at Soran, cutting his hand in Malvern, Worcs.

Kurdish Soran, who has lived in the UK for 15 years, said he thought he recognised the man, who fled. He said: "He come in and put on the mask and I can just see the eyes. I know him, but I think he's drunk and wants to get beer as he walked towards the fridge. He starts coming to with this big knife. He took out the knife and said open the till.

"I said no, he said he was going to kill me. He told me to open it again. He put the knife towards my chest. I thought at that moment how to defend myself. There was a box parcel for collection. I was thinking how can I best protect myself as he had the knife. I don't have any training.

Soran with box he used to defend himself (Emma Trimble / SWNS)

"I noticed this box was quite heavy, like 10kg. I defended myself. I hit him and he lost control. He went back three metres and he got shocked. I picked up the parcel and used it to make him lose control. He was pushed back two or three metres. I used it to push him back. This time I was thinking how to defend myself, that's it. I have no training.

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"He took a bottle of golden gin and tried to smash it on my face. It cut my hand. He's come again and tried to smash another bottle on my face. He said open the till again. I told him, "I know you, if you want to fight, let's fight."

Soran managed to overpower the knife wielding thug and chase him with the heavy parcel, but ultimately let him go when he realised he didn't need to follow him. Soran said: "He attacked me five times and I got into a fight with him. At the end of it I recognised him with his eyes that he was a customer of my store.

"When I said 'I know you, he ran away'. I know him very well but I didn't know his name. I picked up the parcel and he's ran away. I said I don't need to follow him, I know him, I find him. The police came and took evidence and details. " West Mercia Police said: “Enquiries are ongoing to locate the offender. The victim suffered minor injuries.”

Adam Dutton