Yorkshire shop owner speaks of shock after being targeted by knife-wielding thieves

Ketharan Nadarajah, who runs Northowram News with his wife, was the subject of a robbery on Sunday (Nov 27) in which thieves made away with cash after threatening him and his wife with a knife.

He said: "I was outside for a food delivery for one of my customers and there was one lady and one man standing outside the shop for maybe five minutes. They entered inside the shop and the lady had a knife and tried to get into our dining room - we have a house upstairs and our shop is next to our dining room.

"My wife was inside and straight away then put a knife to her and asked 'where's the money?' so she went to the till area and opened and the lady took all the money. By that time I was coming back to the shop and she came out. I thought it was a customer so I said hello and she showed me the knife and was shaking it from left to right, so I got out of the way. My wife was shouting there'd been a robbery so I started chasing them while calling the police, but they said not to chase them so then I stopped."

Mr Nadarajah says he has been heartened by the response of the local community, who have rallied round the shop after the incident.

"It's never, ever happened. It's a very good area," he said. "We're very shocked, still now, I can't believe it, honestly. We've had flowers, cards and boxes of chocolates from our customers. We have so many nice customers, no problems at all. I don't even know how to check my CCTV because I've never had to before. The people are so nice and kind in this village, there must have been more than 200 people who have come and asked me how I am."

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact West Yorkshire Police by calling 101, or go online at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/101livechat quoting reference 13220654463.