A BRAVE shopkeeper foiled an armed robber last night.
And it was not the first time that Santokh Lal had been held up at gunpoint, nor the first time that he had resisted.
Mr Lal, who runs SK News in Newsome Road, chased the would-be robber from his shop, despite being threatened with a silver handgun.
Passers-by also helped in the chase, but the robber ran off towards Plane Street and then Malvern Rise towards Newsome.
The raid happened about 8.30pm at the shop on the junction of Newsome Road and Stile Common Road, as Mr Lal was working alone.
He said: “I was busy behind the counter when this man walked in wearing a balaclava over his face. Someone later said he had been hanging around outside.
“He waved a gun at me and demanded money. He pushed a bag towards me and told me to fill it.
“But I grabbed a pole that I use to pull down the shop shutters and he ran off.
“I followed him from the shop, but he ran away.
“I never really thought about the gun; I just wanted to protect my family and my business.
“It’s not the first time. There was a robbery last July when I was threatened, plus two more attempts since then.
“They need to sort out proper punishment in the prisons, rather than rewarding criminals.”
Detectives carried out house-to-house inquiries in the area after the robbery.
The robber was white and about 5ft 8in tall.
He was wearing dark clothing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Huddersfield CID robbery team on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
