Malvern: Shopkeeper fends off robber with cardboard box | UK News

The strong shopkeeper managed to fend off the knife-wielding robber (Picture: SWNS)

This strong shopkeeper is not someone who you should mess with after he fended off a knife-wielding robber with just a cardboard box.

Soran Sharifi, 45, was working behind the counter at his shop Links News in Malvern, Worecstershire, on August 26, when suddenly the masked armed thug burst in.

He demanded cash and pressed a knife against Soran’s chest ready to kill him.

But brave Soran managed to find an Evri cardboard box that he used to push the knife-wielder away.

The robber then staggered backwards and started launching gin bottles at Soran.

Soran, who is Kurdish and has lived in the UK for 15 years, said: ‘He come in and put on the mask and I can just see the eyes.

‘I know him, but I think he’s drunk and wants to get beer as he walked towards the fridge.

‘He starts coming to with this big knife. He took out the knife and said open the till.

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Soran Sharifi, 45, owner of Link News in Malvern, refused to hand over money to a knife wielding thug threatening to kill him and instead fought him off with a package and chased him out of the shop single handedly. See SWNS story SWLShero. September 4, 2023. A hero shopkeeper fought off a knife wielding robber with a cardboard BOX. Soran Sharifi, 45, was behind the counter when an armed thug burst into his shop in Malvern, Worcs., on August 26 and demanded cash. Soran refused to hand over any money and the thief pressed his knife against his chest while threatening to kill him. Quick thinking Soran grabbed a nearby Evri parcel and used it as a shield to shove the robber back. The robber staggered backwards before hurling bottles of gin towards Soran. Soran reckons he knows his attacker and says unnamed locals have helped to try and identify who he thinks it is. He managed to overpower the knife wielding thug and chase him with the heavy parcel, but ultimately let him go when he realised he didn???t need to follow him. — Soran said he was prepared to get into a physical fight with the robber (Picture: SWNS)

‘I said no, he said he was going to kill me. He told me to open it again. He put the knife towards my chest.

‘I thought at that moment how to defend myself. There was a box parcel for collection.

‘I was thinking how can I best protect myself as he had the knife. I don’t have any training.

‘I noticed this box was quite heavy, like 10kg.

‘I defended myself. I hit him and he lost control. He went back 3m and he got shocked.

‘I picked up the parcel and used it to make him lose control. He was pushed back two or three metres. I used it to push him back.

‘He took a bottle of golden gin and tried to smash it on my face. It cut my hand.

‘He’s come again and tried to smash another bottle on my face. He said open the till again.

‘I told him, ‘I know you, if you want to fight, let’s fight.’”

It was only when Soran said he knew the burglar he ran away after he attacked Soran five times and the pair got into a fight.

Miraculously, Soran only suffered small cuts and grazes on his arm – and was back at work the next day.

Soran continued: ‘I picked up the parcel and he’s ran away. I said I don’t need to follow him, I know him, I find him.

‘The police came and took evidence and details.’

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: ‘Police responded to a call of an attempted robbery of a commercial property on Worcester Road in Malvern around 7.55pm on Saturday, August 26.

‘The offender entered the shop with a knife and demanded cash. This was unsuccessful and the offender left empty handed.

‘Enquiries are ongoing to locate the offender. The victim suffered minor injuries.’

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