Sheffield shopkeeper thanks community after fighting off robber

Sajjad Ahmed was catching up on some admin behind the counter of National News in Wostenholm Road, Sharrow when he was attacked by a man wielding a fire extinguisher.

He was temporarily stunned but managed to fight back, wrestling the man to the front of the shop.

With the help of his cousin Mohammad Naheem, Mr Ahmed managed to restrain the attacker and, with the help of a couple of customers, keep him in the shop until the police arrived.

A man, who has not yet been named by police, has since been charged with robbery and remains in custody.

Mr Ahmed, who was shaken but not seriously hurt, was full of praise for the support he had received both during and after the attack on May 3.

He said: “A customer helped to restrain him. And he has come back and asked if I was OK.”

Mr Ahmed has been in Sheffield for about 20 years and has run his shop for most of that time.

He has been the victim of robbery and theft before. The first time, in 2000, he was held up by a man with a gun.

“He asked for money, so I got it out of the till,” said Mr Ahmed. “Then I realised that the gun wasn’t pointing at me, so I grabbed it and hit him as hard as I could.”

The pair tussled in the street before passers-by joined in and helped overpower the robber, who was later jailed for five years for robbery and possession of a fake gun.

Detectives who investigated the case nominated him for the Association of Chief Police Officers’ awards.

Thankfully such incidents are rare, and Mr Ahmed is happy to work in the Sharrow area.

“My local community gives me great support. They always have done,” he said.

“We have a friendly neighbourhood. People come in and stop to talk. They are very close to me – very caring, very loyal.

“So many times since I was attacked they have come back to check on me. I really appreciate that sort of response.”

Mr Ahmed is keen to play a big part in his community and supports several charities. He also writes for the Daily Ausaf, an online paper published in Urdu, and does a radio show for Sheffield Live.