Family tell of robbery hell at hands of knife raider

Nasim Mahmood was left with multiple injuries to his hands and face after the attack at Turpin Green Stores in Leyland, where he has lived and worked with wife Sumeya for the past decade.

But he says he escaped serious injury when the thug’s knife got stuck in his jacket when he attempted to stab him.

The 40-year-old shopkeeper says his wife and four children have been left traumatised by the incident.

“I had been behind the counter serving a customer when I saw a couple of lads outside on the CCTV,” Nasim said.

“I didn’t think anything of it, but the next thing they came inside where one came behind the counter and one stayed in front of the door.”

One of the men held Nasim at knife-point as he emptied the till and a second man kept watch at the door of the shop in Turpin Green Lane at around 7.50pm.

The brave shopkeeper was left with multiple cuts and bruises to his face and back, as well as injuries to his hands - including a broken finger - after he attempted to fight off the thugs.

Nasim said: “He tried to stab me in my stomach but I had two jackets on and a body warmer. It got caught in my jacket but it didn’t go through.

“I’m really, really lucky.”

Nasim’s wife Sumeya Parveen, 39, who was upstairs in the flat above the shop, came down after hearing the till crash to the floor.

“I didn’t know what injuries Nasim had but his face was covered in blood and there was a man with a knife,” she said.

“I walked in five to 10 minutes before with my four-year-old son, Mohammed, who usually would stay downstairs with his dad but on this occasion, I took him straight upstairs for a takeaway.”

The parents explained how their children, who live with them above the shop, are now suffering since the incident.

“My 14-year-old daughter Sabrina locked the upstairs door with the two younger children inside. She was crying and rang my sister,” Sumeya said.

“My children haven’t been to school for the two days since the robbery - they’re really shocked and scarred by the events.”

Sumeya added: “Every time I come downstairs my son Mohammed isn’t letting me come down. He’s crying and wants his mum to come back upstairs.

“This is our home - you don’t think this would happen to you.”

Detective Constable Justin Singleton, of Chorley CID, said: “The shopkeeper and his wife tried to defend themselves and their livelihood by fighting back against these two men, and they suffered some nasty injuries to their hands as a result. They have obviously has been left extremely shaken by it.”

A 31-year-old man from Preston was arrested on suspicion of robbery but has since been released pending further investigation.

Anyone with any further information about the incident is asked to contact police on 101, quoting log number 1478 of November 14.