Shop worker fights off knife-wielding robber in shocking footage

Kez Bullock slaps thief's arms away as he lunges towards her with blade

A shop worker has been recorded fighting back against a knife-wielding robber who was attempting to steal cash from the till.

Kez Bullock, 39, was captured on CCTV hitting the assailant with her left hand as he waves an eight-inch blade in her face.

The recording showed Mr Bullock sitting behind the counter on Sunday night when two men burst in demanding cash from the till.

In the four-and-a-half minute recording, one of the robbers is seen leaning over the till, brandishing a knife and plastic bag.

He then walks down the aisle, still holding the blade, before returning to the till along with the second man, who had been standing watch by the door.

The robber then lunges across the till and an over-head security camera captures the moment the knife comes within inches of Ms Bullock’s face.

She is able to parry the blow by slapping the robber’s hand before she opens the till and hands over money to the thieves.

One of the men holds the blade and bag near her again as she is forced to fill the bag with tobacco and cigarettes before they fled on foot.

The raid took place at the Costcutter store in Keelings Road, Stoke-on-Trent, at about 5.30pm.

Shop owner Harjinder Grewal, 39, said the knifeman pulled out the weapon and shouted “give me the money” before escaping with £450 in cash along with cigarettes and tobacco.

Mr Grewal, who has run the store for 11 years, said: “One of my employees was working on her own when two men came in with their faces covered. One was holding a hoodie over his face and was stood by the door.

“The other man came to the counter and said, ‘give me the money’, and held a knife at the shop assistant. She was terrified. She gave him all of the money in the till.

“Somehow she managed to slap his arm away as he came at her with the knife. She reacted instinctively and it probably saved her life.

“The worker was shocked. She did try to press the panic alarm but was too terrified.”

He added that he hoped someone would identify the robbers so they can be “arrested and brought to justice”.

Police are now hunting for the men. A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: “The two men entered the store at 5.23pm and threatened the woman behind the counter with a knife.

“They then demanded she hand over all the cash in the till and the cigarettes on view.

Cameras recorded one of the robbers wielding an eight-inch knife (SWNS)

“CCTV footage shows them stuffing approximately £400 in cash, three bags of tobacco and seven packets of cigarettes into a cream Tesco carrier bag before running out of the store.

“The two men have been described as both white, around 6ft 2ins, slim built with navy blue bandanas around their faces.

“The first man was wearing a North Face black jacket with a stain on the right forearm, blue Nike gloves and black Nike trainers with white soles.

“The second man wore a light grey hooded top with a motif on the chest, dark blue jeans and dark footwear.

“He had also scrunched up the sleeves to cover his hands during the robbery.”