Canvey shop owner speaks of terrifying armed raid (From Echo)
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Shop owner speaks of armed raid
7:20am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News
Rajan Vekaria
A SHOP owner has spoken of the terrifying moment a robber burst into his business brandishing a knife.
The crook had a stocking over his head when he struck at Bargain Booze, in Long Road, armed with a blade.
Owner Rajan Vekaria emerged from the back room with some bottles of beer, to come face-to-face with the robber.
He said: “He dragged me over, pushed me behind the counter and threatened he would harm me.
“He said ‘Give me cash and fast’ because he realised I was slowing him down. Then he thought there was a safe or something separate from the till that he wanted.
“I told him we don’t have anything else and he swore at me and walked off.”
The raider escaped at about 7pm on Saturday with a three figure sum of cash, in the direction of New Road.
Mr Vekaria, 37, said he ran out of the store about ten seconds later to see where the crook went, but only saw a silver car pulling out of the road.
He told police who said it did not seem to have been the robber, but could be a vital witness. The store then closed for about three hours after the robbery for Mr to regain his composure.
He said: “It looked like it was all planned with the way he came in, the way he was, and the way he went out, so I had to comply with him. It was terrifying.
“I was traumatised then and I still am now. My wife couldn’t sleep because she saw him on the CCTV and every time he saw his face.”
He was wearing a stocking over his face, blue jeans and a beige, zip-up jacket, white and black trainers and is described as chubby and average height. D
espite a thorough search of the area by police, the suspect was not located and they appeal for anyone with any information about his identity.
Anyone who was in the area and witnessed the incident is urged to contact Det Con Rory Scarlett at the Target Team at Southend Police Station on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Comments(6)
leighman
says...
9:56am Wed 31 Oct 12
Eric Whim
says...
10:28am Wed 31 Oct 12
AndyBSG wrote:this bit's a howler too.
Was this story written by an illiterate five year old?
Quotes that begin with quote marks but don't end with them, First letter of the word 'Despite' at the end of the preceding paragraph instead of the start of the one it belongs to, missing comma's
The victims name completely missing from this sentence
"The store then closed for about three hours after the robbery for Mr to regain his composure"
Do people working for the Echo even have to have any form of English or journalism qualifications?
My wife couldn’t sleep because she saw him on the CCTV and every time he saw his face.”
My sympathies go out to this hardworking chap and his family and I hope they catch and punish the robber soon.
Basildon.lad.21
says...
2:05pm Wed 31 Oct 12
Sean4u
says...
4:02pm Wed 31 Oct 12
John T Pharro
says...
8:46pm Fri 2 Nov 12
And some thought Band Wagon Bob exploited a situation!!
See if I am right.
AndyBSG says...
8:30am Wed 31 Oct 12
Quotes that begin with quote marks but don't end with them, First letter of the word 'Despite' at the end of the preceding paragraph instead of the start of the one it belongs to, missing comma's
The victims name completely missing from this sentence
"The store then closed for about three hours after the robbery for Mr to regain his composure"
Do people working for the Echo even have to have any form of English or journalism qualifications?