CCTV: Jeweller fights off knife raider with a broom
Detectives say both the businessman and his assistant were lucky to avoid injury.
The shopkeeper dodged slashes and landed several blows on the violent criminal, who eventually fled Harrolds Discount Jewellers in Dagenham.
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Hide AdPolice have now released dramatic CCTV footage from the incident which happened on October 21 at 11.15am.
The video shows a man fumbling in his jacket in the doorway of the shop.
Whipping a knife out from under his jacket, he uses his left arm to grab the assistant and his right to hold the blade to her throat.
The footage shows the shopkeeper running around his desk and attempting to grab the knife from the man, in a move which allowed the assistant to escape from the danger of the knife.
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Hide AdBut the criminal then turned on the shopkeeper, using the weapon to slash at his face before chasing him back through the shop.
The jeweller was forced to retreat behind his desk, but was able to grab a broom from his assistant and used it as a makeshift weapon to defend himself.
He was so successful that he was able to beat the attacker out of the shop.
Police are still searching for the knifeman, who they describe as white, of stocky build with a shaved head.
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Hide AdDetective Chief Inspector Ian Corner, who is leading the investigation, said: “This was a violent attack which left the shop workers extremely shaken.
“They acted with great courage to fight off the suspect and were lucky to have avoided being seriously injured. We need help from the public to trace this individual before he attempts to target someone else.”