Sickening moment: Robber with crowbar hits elderly shopkeeper seven times before fleeing with garbage bag full of cash and cigarettes
CCTV footage has captured the sickening moment a robber violently assaulted an elderly shopkeeper seven times with a pipe or crowbar before fleeing with a bin bag full of cigarettes and cash stolen from the till.
The incident was captured on CCTV at a newsagent on Sholebroke Mount in Leeds, West Yorkshire, at around 7.30am on Wednesday.
The robber is seen storming into the store and viciously beating the old man with what appears to be a metal pipe before taking his loot and escaping.
The video shows the elderly shopkeeper walking past the counter reading a newspaper, while a silhouette can be seen passing by the window.
Moments later, a masked man bursts through the door, wearing gray sweatpants, a black hood and yellow gloves.
CCTV footage has captured the sickening moment a robber violently assaulted an elderly shopkeeper seven times with a pipe or crowbar before fleeing with a bin bag full of cigarettes and cash stolen from the till
The incident was captured on CCTV at a newsagent on Sholebroke Mount in Leeds, West Yorkshire, at around 7.30am on Wednesday.
He walks up to the counter brandishing what appears to be a crowbar or metal pipe, pointing it at the shopkeeper and attempting to climb onto the counter.
However, the brave shopkeeper immediately fights back, grabbing the weapon and causing the attacker to lose his balance.
The two struggle for control of the pipe, with the robber having to go to great lengths to snatch it from the heroic old man's clutches.
Eventually the shopkeeper loses his grip on it, and the robber begins to attack him while the old man holds up his hands to defend himself.
The vicious thug manages to hit the shopkeeper on the head, knocking him to the ground, where he is hit four more times.
The shopkeeper falls out of view of the camera and appears to be unconscious, allowing the robber to jump over the counter.
He then takes a garbage bag out of his pocket and starts emptying cigarette packs into it.
A woman is briefly seen entering the store, with the robber unaware of her presence, before she appears to realize what has happened and promptly ducks back out.
The unknown assailant then rips open the cash drawer and removes a wad of banknotes, which he also places in the bag before apparently escaping.
The footage and photos of the injured shopkeeper were posted on social media yesterday, with the caption: 'Near-retirement shopkeeper attacked by a cowardly bastard – asked to share in a bid to catch the perpetrator.'
The clip has since received more than 400 likes and comments from users concerned about the elderly retailer's welfare.
One user said: 'This is sickening. I still remember Huddersfield retailer Gurmail Singh and a father of two being murdered by cowards and airheads.”
Another said: 'What a coward, I hope that guy gets caught and the shopkeeper makes a full recovery.'
A third wrote: 'We need to introduce tougher laws for these criminals. Right cowards. The land is too soft. Time to reclaim the street.'
A fourth commented: 'Poor guy just trying to make a living. Hopefully he's on the mend.'
The brave shopkeeper fought back, grabbing the gun and causing the attacker to lose his balance
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said today: 'Police are appealing for information following a robbery at a newsagent in Leeds which left a shop worker seriously injured.
'Police received reports of a robbery at Sholebroke News, in Sholebroke Mount, at 7.35am yesterday.
“The male suspect threatened the employee with a weapon, believed to be a crowbar or similar, before attacking him.
“The male victim was taken to hospital with serious head injuries.”
Detective Inspector Dan Ridgway, of Leeds CID, added: “This was a particularly violent attack on a shop worker going about his day job.
“I would urge anyone who saw the incident or has information about it to come forward.”