Footage of armed robbery at Turkish shops in London reveals more than one shopkeeper is prepared to confront a knife or a gun with a wooden broom
Funda Boyraz, who works at Erbiller Jewellery in Stock Newington, confronted robbers with a mop
WHEN Abbas Boran, the owner of Show Supermarket in Plaistow, East London, was confronted late in the evening by two men, he did not cower from the shotgun pointing at his face.
Instead, he reached out to bat away the barrel of the weapon, as if he was swatting a buzzing insect.
And when the two suspects fled from the shop empty-handed, Mr Boran and his colleague gave chase down the street after grabbing the first item to hand – a broom.
Mr Boran and his assistant are not alone. Turkish shopkeepers across the capital have admitted responding with a humble domestic appliance to would-be robbers, even if armed with a knife or firearm.
MOPS AND BROOMS
Funda Boyraz, who works at Erbiller Jewellery in Stoke Newington, recalls a similar incident on 25 February 2011, when four men arrived on scooters outside her shop wearing helmets and carrying bags and mallets.
She told Londra Gazete how she was inside mopping the floor at the time. She instinctively rushed outside and confronted them with what she was holding – the mop. The would-be robbers fled upon being confronted by a woman, she believes.
Gonca Supermarket near Finsbury Park was the scene of a similar incident. When masked men entered the shop carrying knives and guns and began to threaten owner Doğan Şahin, 46, and his 25-year-old son Yılmaz, they did not expect a ferocious response.
CCTV footage shows how father and son did not flinch and struck back when confronted with the weapons. When the attackers eventually fled, they chased them out – again, with brooms.
POLICE ADVICE: DON’T CHALLENGE
Despite the headlines of bravery, police have said they do not advise shopkeepers to challenge their attackers if they are armed.
Detective Superintendent Stephen Clayman, from Haringey Police, said: “Whilst we appreciate that a shop owner will defend what is rightly theirs, it is vital for someone to call the police in the first instance as it is not advisable to challenge anyone threatening you with a weapon.
“The police need to know about these crimes, so please do not keep it to yourself and we recommend that businesses have good working CCTV and consider other crime prevention measures too.
“We are happy to provide further advice about how to make you and your business feel safer by speaking to your local Neighbourhood Policing Team.”
CASH REWARD OFFER
A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered by police for information regarding the attackers at Plaistow’s Show Supermarket.
Despite his bravery, Mr Boran was shot in the chest and taken to hospital with “life-changing injuries”.
His 27-year-old daughter said in a police statement: “My dad is an honest, hard-working man. He has run the Show Supermarket for 14 years and is well known to the local community as a friendly person.
“On the 31st of October last year, his life changed when he tried to defend his livelihood from armed robbers. He was bravely chasing two armed men away from his shop when one of them shot him in the chest.
“They ran off, leaving him bleeding in the street.
“He was taken to hospital where he fell into a coma that lasted over two weeks. My family and I were sick with worry, not knowing if he would live.
“We are lucky that he survived. But since then he has suffered numerous health problems as a result of the assault. He is afraid and unable to return to work.
“If anyone recognises the men in the CCTV or has any information about the attack on my dad, please come forward. We need closure on this and we are afraid of the threat these men pose to others while they are out free.”
The CCTV footage can be viewed on londragazete.com, alongside other scenes of shopkeepers challenging their attackers.
