PHILLIPA
YALDEN
June 27,
2017
When
tomahawk wielding robbers stormed Ram Sharma's dairy, the father of one had two
instinctive thoughts.
Fight back
or step back.
So the
Hamilton man, and his parents, took on the thieves using a bottle of soy sauce and
canned goods to thwart the pair's violent attempt to grab cigarettes.
"Once
they come in you can't think what to do. It's only 45 seconds - you can try to
protect yourself or you try to stop them."
Police are
now appealing to the public to help track down the pair who attempted to rob
the dairy on Aberdeen Dr and Courtney Ave on Sunday evening.
Around 6pm
Sharma was working the counter when the two men wearing black balaclavas rushed
into the store.
They
approached the counter with their tomahawks raised and demanded cigarettes.
"I was
standing out the back in the storage area having a chat with my parents while
they were doing some stuff when two guys came in with the axe.
As the pair
approached, Sharma yelled "hey, don't touch".
"I said
- 'don't hurt us, take what you want'."
"But he
still kept coming towards me."
Sharma put
his hands in the air, repeatedly telling the culprits to take what they wanted.
"He
said to the other guy - get the smokes."
But before
the thieves made it to the cigarette cabinet, Sharma grabbed one of the men's
axe.
"Then
he started struggling with me. Meanwhile my dad was pushing him outwards while
mum tried to hit him."
Sharma's
53-year-old mother turned to the other robber, pulling on the man's mask as he
advanced towards the struggling trio.
"I
think he lost his shoe, which we didn't realise until later."
A metre or
two away Sharma and the thief grappled with the axe.
"Then
he started trying to release the axe that I'm holding very tightly."
"Then
he just took it, tried to hit me again but luckily I had a soy sauce bottle
next to me."
After the
soy sauce, Sharma began hurling cans.
"We
tried to chase them out but it's too dark outside, there's no street lights and
you can't see if they are hiding, and it's not safe to chase them."
At the same
time the culprits entered the store Sharma believes a customer pulled up
outside with a baby in the back of her car.
Too afraid
to enter the woman stayed in the vehicle and called police.
"Once
we came back we found one left his shoe behind. We hope the cops can find
something."
He described
one man as being about 5ft 10, of heavy build and darker skin. The other was
shorter about 5ft 4 and skinny with white skin.
Sharma was
taken to hospital on the night with a gash to his finger and rapid heart rate.
In the six
years the family have owned the store this is the first serious robbery they
have experienced.
"It
does make you think about safety, everyone is concerned about each other.
"The
mental stress is the main thing, it creates fear and makes you think whether it
was safe to run the shop."
Sharma was
thankful his wife and nine-month-old baby were away overseas at the time.
"We
just thank god we are safe."
Waikato
police Detective Sergeant Nicola Cornes said the pair fled empty handed.
"This
type of threatening behaviour is not something the community should tolerate.
"Police
are investigating and are appealing to the public for assistance."
Anyone who
recognises people in the images, or witnessed any suspicious activity around
the superette on Sunday, is asked to contact Hamilton police station on 07 858
6200.
Alternatively,
information can be shared anonymously with Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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