A 60-year-old shopkeeper in East London was subjected to abuse as two knifemen stormed into his shop yelling, “Give us everything from the till!” The shopkeeper was beaten with a baseball bat and had his face slashed by the two young men, who threw him to the floor and threatened him with a gun.
Balu Patel, 67, a mechanic who is also a regular customer was visiting the store and saw the ordeal. He grabbed a hammer from his toolbox and went to help the victim. Balu Patel said, “Blood was running like a shower – I had to step in. I'd just come from work and had my toolbox with me so I grabbed it and went in. They were going to kill him. I saw my friend on the floor and it looked like one of them pulled out a gun – they were wrestling over it. One of them started punching me in the face, the chest, the head... I thought I was going to die too.”
CCTV footage reveal the four men exchanging blows and punches before the thugs ran away empty-handed.
The shopkeeper, who has been running the shop, East London Wine in Shrewsbury Road, Forest Gate, East London, as a family business for nearly 40 years was left covered in blood from the attack. He informed his family members that his turban protected him against the blows.
The shopkeeper's brother said, “Balu's a hero, no doubt about it. It's natural for him to help people and I do believe he saved my brother's life. The police need to catch the idiots who did this and put them away for a proportionate time. These monsters don't deserve to be on the streets, not just for my brother but for society.”
The Met's Flying Squad is investigating the raid. So far there have been no arrests. A spokesman said, “The victim suffered sever injuries and was taken to an East London hospital. His injuries were deemed non life-changing. He has since been discharged.”
