EPPING: Men terrorise shopkeeper in raid

2:07pm Friday 21st November 2008

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Police are appealing for help after a handgun was held to the face of a terrified shopkeeper in an armed raid.

Two men burst into Lindsey Street Stores on Lindsey Street, Epping shortly before 5pm yesterday (Thursday, November 20). The two men pointed the weapon at Shopkeeper Reshma Farin, 35, who was alone in the shop, before attempting to raid the till.

Speaking to the Guardian, Mrs Farin said: “I was alone at the rear of the shop when the two men came in, I walked towards them and asked if I could help when one of them put a gun into my cheek and said ‘give me your money’

“The first man walked around and started pressing buttons on the till, I was trying to walk over to help him open it, but the other man kept pushing the gun into my face to keep me back. It did not seem real”

Eventually the man’s attempts to open the till resulted in the machine starting to beep- causing them to flee the shop, knocking over a chewing gum stand as they left.

A defiant Mrs Farin said she would not consider closing, despite being “shook up” by the event.

She said: “I’ve started locking things up that I would not have before, but I think if they want to earn money they should go out and earn and get a job. I get up at 5am every morning and work very hard, instead of stealing from other people- why can’t they?”

Bravely, Mrs Farin returned to her shop the next day to continue business as usual.

She said: “I could stay home and take time out but it will play on my mind, I had things to do - I want to keep working.”

The suspects, believed to be in their late teens or early 20's fled from the scene empty-handed.

Both men were wearing scarves over their faces, the one holding the gun was wearing a white hooded jacket done up to the neck with a black scarf over his face and a black woolly hat under his hood.

He was between 5ft 8ins and 5ft 10ins tall, was of medium build, white, and had blue eyes. His accomplice is of a similar build.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Epping CID on 0300 333 44 44.