Shop owner pins thief to wall to stop him fleeing with groceries until pals turn up

A shopkeeper bravely fought off a thief and pinned him to a wall in a desperate bid to stop him from getting away with £70 worth of groceries.

Owner Dharmendra Patel called it an “absolute brazen attack” as he said this was the third incident in just over a fortnight.

Cameras inside the shop at Shawclough Road in Rochdale show the suspicious shopper stealing packs of cheese and meat from a fridge before placing them on a basket.

The thief then runs towards the exit, without paying.

Mr Patel quickly steps in and blocks the door. He pinned the brazen thief against the wall and held him up.

But two of his pals come up to the front door and force it open, letting the thief escape.

Mr Patel said the incident happened at around 6pm on Sunday (September 12) and he lost about £70 worth of goods.

He told Manchester Evening News: “It was absolutely brazen. I tried to stop him, but it was three against one.

“It’s costing me a lot of money. I will spend almost a grand to put in new security measures.

“We work hard to make a living and help the community, but how do we do that if this keeps happening? It’s crazy.

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“They’re just scum. I worry that someone, either a customer or a shop worker, is going to get hurt if this carries on.”

The owner also believed that his shop has been targeted and said the group was “known to the police”.

“I know their names,” He continued.

“They’re not locals, they come from Lancashire and target shops here, in the town centre and in Whitworth.

“Although I am aware that the police are not adequately resourced, something must be done.”

Greater Manchester Police confirmed the incidents were being investigated, and Central Recorder has contacted the force for comment.