Shopkeeper attacked in newsagent robbery

TWO MASKED men attacked a shopkeeper and raided a city corner shop in an early morning robbery.
The robbery happened at A & A Newsagent on South Trinity Road. Picture: GoogleThe robbery happened at A & A Newsagent on South Trinity Road. Picture: Google
The robbery happened at A & A Newsagent on South Trinity Road. Picture: Google

Tahil Ahmed had been stacking shelves at A&A Newsagent in South Trinity Road when the duo burst in and demanded he open the till.

One of the men, dressed all in black and wearing gloves, grabbed Mr Ahmed by the throat while the other ran to the counter and grabbed £200 from the till.

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Mr Ahmed revealed he had also been targeted by an armed robber just three years ago – but the case was never solved.

In the latest ordeal, Mr Ahmed had been at the back of the shop when the robbers came in at around 6.30am.

He said: “The first guy came running in and grabbed me by the throat and started shouting at me, saying ‘open the till’. By the time the other one came in, he went behind the counter and opened the till and took what was there. It was round about £200, the float for the day.”

Mr Ahmed, who had opened up just half an hour before the incident, managed to press a panic button alerting the police, when one of the robbers pushed him back towards the counter at the front of the shop.

On hearing the alarm, the two men fled out of the premises and down Cargill Terrace, out of sight.

Mr Ahmed, who has run the shop for 20 years, said the incident was over in a matter of minutes.

“You don’t expect that first thing in the morning – maybe more at night-time,” he said. “It’s just a shock to get assaulted in your own shop. I feel shaken up because you don’t expect it.

“It happened before three years ago. That time, a guy stood near the door and said he had a gun, and asked me to hand the money over.”

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The suspects are both believed to be local men in their early twenties.

The first man is around 5ft 7in, with a local accent. The second is around 5ft 10in.

He also speaks with a local accent, but was described as having a “high-pitched voice”. Both were dressed completely in black and were wearing gloves.

Police officers are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

They have been examining CCTV footage from the shop and speaking to nearby residents in a bid to trace the two robbers.

Detective Sergeant Lynsey Thomson said: “This was a frightening and upsetting attack on a shopkeeper, who has been left shaken as a result. We are eager to trace the two men responsible as quickly as possible. Anyone who saw this incident, or spotted anything suspicious in the general area when it occurred, is asked to contact us immediately.”

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.