Edinburgh crime: Brave shopkeeper in Dalry fights off masked knifeman and refuses to hand over earnings

A brave shopkeeper fought off a masked teenage knifeman and refused to hand over his daily takings.

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The shop worker was forced to grab a metal pole as the 17-year-old attacker repeatedly attempted to stab him during the terrifying robbery bid at the shop last year.

The man, who did wish to be identified, said on Thursday he was “very lucky” not to have been knifed during the violent struggle at the Shoppers Spot store in Dalry, Edinburgh.

A shop worker fought off a knifeman in a violent struggle at the Shoppers Spot store in Dalry, Edinburgh.

The worker said: “We had just opened the shop on a Saturday morning and these two guys wearing hoods and masks came in soon after. I knew right away something was not quite right.

“One of them grabbed a case of vodka from the counter to distract me then the other guy pulled out a large knife and shouted ‘give me the money or I will cut you up’.

“He lunged forward and tried to stab me a few times as I told them there was no way they were getting any cash from me. We work hard here and I wasn’t going to give up to two thugs like that.

“I managed to grab a pole I keep behind the counter and thankfully the two of them ran from the shop.

“It all happened so fast and unexpectedly that I didn’t have time to think about what could have happened.

“Hopefully the courts will deal harshly with the guy they caught as that is what he deserves.”

The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to attempting to strike the shopkeeper with a knife and rob him of cash when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court via a video link from HMYOI Polmont on Tuesday.

The teenager, who cannot be identified due to legal reasons, also admitted three charges of assaulting police officers.

Prosecutor Sophie Hanlon told the court the store opened at 10.30am and the teenager and an accomplice entered wearing hoods and masks around ten minutes later on October 30 last year.

Ms Hanlon said: “Both males approached the counter and [the shopkeeper] was behind the counter.

“[The teenager] produced a knife and pointed it at [the shopkeeper] shouting ‘give me the cash’.

“[The shopkeeper] closed the hatch on the counter to prevent the males coming behind.

“[The teenager] repeatedly brandished a knife at him, attempting to strike him with it which narrowly missed due to his evasive actions.”

The fiscal added the worker managed to grab hold of a metal pole he keeps behind the counter “which caused the two males to retreat”.

The two thugs were then seen running down Dalry Road towards Haymarket train station and the teenager was soon identified from CCTV footage from another shop.

Sheriff Daniel Kelly remanded the teenager in custody and deferred sentence for reports to next month.

The teenager admitted to assaulting a shopkeeper by repeatedly attempting to strike him with a knife and attempt to rob him of money on October 30 last year.

He also pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting police officers on March 26 and October 31 last year.

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